Inspired by the classic theme park attraction, HAUNTED MANSION is about a woman and her son who enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters. A film by Justin Simien, starring LaKeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Jamie Lee Curtis, Chase W. Dillon, and Jared Leto.

Ben Matthias (LaKeith Stanfield), a skeptic of ghosts and the afterlife, happily marries Alyssa (Charity Jordan), a ghost tour guide. His astrophysical expertise leads him to develop quantum lenses to detect dark matter, inspiring the creation of the Spectral Camera, purportedly capable of capturing images of the ghost particles.

Alyssa’s tragic death in a car accident propels Ben to resign from his job and take over her ghost tour guide business. Secretly, he harbors the hope of encountering her spirit in one of the haunted places they visit, but his search remains unfulfilled.

Years later, the recently widowed Doctor Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) purchases Gracey Manor and moves in with her son Travis (Chase W. Dillon), intending to convert it into a bed and breakfast. On their first night, they discover that the manor is haunted. Terrified, they decide to leave the premises and never return.

Father Kent (Owen Wilson), an exorcist priest visits Ben to hire him to photograph the ghosts at Gracey Manor. Although Ben initially declines, he is persuaded by the offer of $2,000.

Upon arriving at Gracey Manor, Ben is met by Gabbie at the entrance. She warns him that stepping inside will forever change his life, urging him to turn back and leave. However, Ben, motivated by the monetary reward, enters the manor. He feigns interest in photographing the supposedly haunted rooms, yet finds nothing of note. As he drives away, he remains unaware of the malevolent presence that has silently followed him home.

That night, Ben experiences a supernatural force in his house. He seizes his camera and captures its image, recognizing the ghostly apparition as the man depicted in one of the manor’s paintings. The specter threatens him, demanding the manor’s return.

Compelled to heed the haunting’s ultimatum, Ben returns to Gracey Manor. He learns that the ghosts within the manor’s walls haunt anyone who steps inside, forcing them to return, regardless of distance. Gabbie and her son were the first victims, followed by Kent, and now, Ben. Together they must find a way to break free from this nightmarish cycle, even if it means tricking others into enduring the same fate.

HAUNTED MANSION, a theatrical adaptation of Walt Disney’s theme park attraction of the same name, is a comedy horror film that explores the theme of personal grief. LaKeith Stanfield gives a phenomenal performance as both a skeptical and ignorant man, and as a man who is mourning the love of his life, whom he blames for her death.

The film features a witty script and charming production design. The cast delivers uniformly excellent performances, including Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Tiffany Haddish, and Jamie Lee Curtis, who clearly relishes her role as the most powerful psychic trapped in a giant crystal ball. HAUNTED MANSION is a predictable film, aimed at children, but it is a delightful film filled with sarcasm, laughter, and a plethora of ghosts that are more whimsical than scary. Jared Leto is perfectly cast as the evil spirit Hatbox, but why do most films with his name attached flop? Is it a curse? Perhaps.

HAUNTED MANSION premiered at Disneyland in California on 15 July 2023. The film was released in the United States on 28 July.