Haunted Mansion’s Box Office Numbers Are Rather Grim

After nearly a month in theaters the 2023 theatrical reboot of The Haunted Mansion has done rather poorly at the worldwide box office. On an estimated budget on $150 million (plus another estimated $150 million for marketing), the film has only grossed $86 million ($60 million domestic and $26 million internationally).



The film’s opening weekend had a domestic opening of $24 million, what was seen as a slow start. But hopes of the film gaining traction over time have been dashed away. It seems that fans are either not interested in the film or are waiting for the eventual Disney+ release.

According to Box Office Mojo, the returns at the domestic box office continue to decline, with multiple days this past week being only around the $300,000 mark. Other major releases, such as Barbie from Warner Bros. and Oppenheimer from Universal, continue to chomp away at the competition. 

When compared to the 2003 version starring Eddie Murphy (which saw a $186 million gross against a $90 million budget) the numbers seem rather underwhelming. 



One of the reasons why the film may be underperforming is due to the unusual release date. Releasing a semi-horror film in late July instead of late-September/early-October is like releasing a Christmas movie in late-October/early-November (which did happen when Disney released A Christmas Carol in 2009).

Now, it is true that Haunted Mansion merchandise has been selling out at major retailers such as Spirit Halloween, which leads to the idea that Disney could make back the money they invested into the film via the merchandise. But we must remember that not all of the merchandise is tied to the film itself. 

Whatever the case, there seems to be no bright future for the film at the box office, which may lead to a quick demise where it will be buried on streaming and in bargain bins in the local Walmart.

Source: Box Office Mojo