Actor LaKeith Stanfield and comedian Tiffany Haddish are being eyed for roles in The Haunted Mansion, the upcoming film adaptation of Disneyland's classic theme park ride.
The two are in negotiations to star in the upcoming film about a single mom and her son moving into the titular estate before discovering that it is haunted by ghosts, reported THR. Stanfield (Get Out, Judas and the Black Messiah) would appear as a New Orleans tour guide who used to believe in the supernatural, while Haddish's part would be a psychic whom the family hires to commune with the ghosts. Dear White People director Justin Simien was announced to be directing the film and Katie Dippold, who co-wrote the 2016 Ghostbusters reboot with Paul Feig, wrote the script.
Disneyland's Haunted Mansion attraction opened in 1969 at the park's New Orleans Square. Since then, a version of it has premiered at five of the six Disney parks worldwide, including Paris and Tokyo. The ride begins with an introduction from the mansion's "Ghost Host," who welcomes mortals to the estate before they board carriages referred to as "Doom Buggies." The buggies take guests around the mansion where they observe the spooky specters haunting the house.
The attraction has appeared in popular media several times since its inception, most prominently in its first film adaptation in 2003. Starring comedian Eddie Murphy, the 2003 Haunted Mansion performed poorly critically and financially, especially compared to that year's fellow Disney ride film adaptation Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. In July 2010, Pacific Rim director Guillermo del Toro announced that he would be writing and producing an adaptation of the ride, but he is neither writer or producer on the upcoming film.
The Muppets recently revealed that they would star in an upcoming Haunted Mansion special on Disney+. Announced by Gonzo and Pepe the King Prawn, the "terrifying tale of total scariness" The Muppets Haunted Mansion will feature Gonzo spending one whole night in the Haunted Mansion. Gonzo will star in the special alongside his fellow Muppets cast with celebrity cameos and musical numbers. The Muppets Haunted Mansion will air on Disney+ this fall.
Directed by Justin Simien and written by Katie Dippold, The Haunted Mansion feature film doesn't yet have a release date.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter