It’s officially Summer, and many sites have discussed the most anticipated films this year. Most of the lists focus on ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,’ ‘Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One,’ ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer,’ what I’m looking forward to the most is Disney’s new ‘Haunted Mansion’ film.

Is the film expected to perform well?

Not really. Opening estimates put it at around $22 million – $37 million domestic. Long-term estimates currently peak at $131 million domestically, but I am still excited about the film.

Why am I looking forward to ‘Disney’s The Haunted Mansion?’

I’m looking forward to the film for several reasons. The first is that I’m a big fan of the attraction, and the film showcases the attraction.

In the previous ‘Haunted Mansion’ film with Eddie Murphy, characters were used, but the mansion itself was not a focus of the story. While there were some Easter Eggs, this film focuses more on the characters, look, and lore of the attraction than the previous film.

The sets were even built to resemble the attraction!

The Library

The Stretching Room

Seance Room

I love that when the actors are in the seance room, they sit in chairs that resemble chairs throughout the attraction.

Another reason I am looking forward to this film is because it’s a dark comedy, like the attraction itself. The film seems to be a wonderful mix of horror elements and over-the-top gothic sets, with actors known for their comedic chops, like Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, and Owen Wilson. Most of the cast have done some comedic projects before.

The film is already rated PG-13, so we know it will be somewhat scary. Still, the film synopsis reads almost like one of the old bar jokes where “A priest, a rabbi, and a pastor enter a bar,” but instead of religious leaders, it’s now “a tour guide, a psychic, a priest, and a historian enter a haunted house…”

Another reason I’m excited about this film is the cast dynamics. They seem to be having fun making the film. Often that translates into the film itself.

The only downside is that this film could niche itself into a small box office. I think that’s what the estimates are showing. Who knew ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ would be as big as it was? Many expected it to fizzle because it might not appeal to a larger audience. It’s possible, if done right; this film could bridge the gap.

I also worry about Jared Leto because he’s very hit-or-miss for me. To his credit, he does get into his roles.

Currently, box office expectations are low, but fan expectation is high, especially with so much of the attraction appearing in some way. I hope we aren’t disappointed.

I am looking forward to this movie and sincerely hope it’s good.

What do you think? Comment and let us know!