Haunted Mansion: Director Reveals Surprising Insights on Disney Movie's Reception

Summary

Despite negative reviews from critics, Haunted Mansion has received overwhelming positive feedback from audiences, with an 84% approval rating on RT.

Director Justin Simien is determined to create a film that connects with viewers, even though he acknowledges that certain reviewers may have had hidden agendas. Despite its lackluster box office performance, Haunted Mansion has the makings of a beloved cult favorite among Disney enthusiasts, particularly with its launch on Disney+ coinciding with the Halloween season.

Director Justin Simien shares his candid thoughts on the negative reviews of the movie Haunted Mansion, despite its popularity among audiences. The 2023 film, based on the Disneyland ride of the same name, follows a group of paranormal experts who are hired by a single mother to rid her new New Orleans mansion of its ghostly residents. Starring LaKeith Stanfield and Owen Wilson, the movie was both a critical and commercial disappointment, falling short of its reported $157 million budget.

During an exclusive interview with Our website for the film's home media release, Simien expressed his disappointment with the negative reviews of Haunted Mansion. He believed that some critics may have had ulterior motives behind their reviews, but he also celebrated the positive reaction from audiences. Simien humorously noted that this divide in reception is usually the opposite when it comes to his films. Read Simien's explanation below:

Haunted Mansion Is Destined To Become A Cult Classic (Again)

It's disappointing, honestly. It's disheartening when it feels like people don't understand something you've poured your heart and soul into. This has been the case for me more often than not. [Laughs] Dear White People, for example, received mixed reactions initially, but eventually gained the love of both critics and audiences after its release at the Sundance. However, it was initially met with divisiveness and polarization. So, with this film, I aimed to create something that would please the masses and prove to myself that I could effectively engage an audience with a story. I'm glad that I was able to accomplish that goal. I usually avoid reading my own reviews, especially the positive ones, as I learned that lesson a while ago. However, with this film, I read a couple of them and it felt like the critics were watching a completely different movie. It seemed like there were other factors influencing their opinions, which is beyond my control, you know? This experience taught me a valuable lesson as a filmmaker about who I create my movies for and why I make them. Ultimately, what matters to me is that the audience experiences the journey I intended for them, more than anything else. So, I guess the rest is just accepting things as they come.

With a 37% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, Haunted Mansion faced criticism for its balance of horror and comedy. Reviewers argued that the film didn't fully commit to either genre, making it difficult to wholeheartedly recommend. However, amidst the mixed reviews, some praised the stellar cast, especially Wilson and Stanfield, for their charming performances alongside their talented co-stars.

However, audiences have responded overwhelmingly positively to the reboot, currently giving the movie a remarkable 84% on RT. Despite this favorable reception, the movie has failed to recover its production budget at the box office. It only managed to earn just under $116 million, falling short of its $157.8 million budget. Along with marketing expenses, this has resulted in the movie being labeled as a box office failure. Several factors have been identified as contributing to this underperformance, such as the SAG-AFTRA strike which restricted actors from promoting the movie before its release. Additionally, there was an ongoing conflict between Barbie and Oppenheimer, and the decision to release the film during the summer instead of a more suitable Halloween date.

Despite its initial stumble, Haunted Mansion is poised to become a cult classic among Disney fans in the upcoming years. Alongside its high RT audience score, the movie is set to premiere on Disney+ just in time for the Halloween season. Moreover, while the Haunted Mansion adaptation led by Eddie Murphy received criticism upon its release, it has gained appreciation from viewers who have grown up with the film. This ensures that regardless of the critics' opinions on Disney ride-based titles, audiences are highly entertained by the creative teams' endeavors.