Hidden Surprise: Unveiling the Secret Easter Egg in Disney's New Ghost Movie – Almost Featuring Frozen!
Frozen Easter Egg Nearly Made It Into Disney's New Ghost Movie! Find out how the iconic 'It's a Small World' reference was considered for Haunted Mansion, and its connection to the film's release on July 28th
Summary
Haunted Mansion's Disney music Easter egg almost referenced Frozen, but the iconic "It's a Small World" song was universally agreed upon.
Director Justin Simien's intention was to incorporate as countless Disney Easter eggs as conceivable. Consequently, he opted for "It's a Small World" owing to its ability to evoke laughter. By including a reference to "It's a Small World" within the Haunted Mansion, Simien pays tribute to the Disney theme parks, which served as inspiration for the film. This choice seamlessly complements the various other allusions to theme parks present throughout the movie.
Haunted Mansion's Disney music Easter egg almost referenced the 2013 blockbuster Frozen. The film, which debuted in theaters on July 28, is based on the popular theme park attraction and features LaKeith Stanfield as Ben, a paranormal tour guide who embarks on a chilling adventure when a single mother (played by Rosario Dawson) and her son (Chase W. Dillon) move into the haunted Gracey Manor. In a particular scene, Ben visits another haunted mansion and briefly hears tour guide Vic (Dan Levy) perform a well-known Disney theme park tune, "It's a Small World."
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Justin Simien discussed the origins of the Haunted Mansion Easter egg. He expressed his excitement for incorporating numerous Disney Easter eggs into the film. However, the chosen song wasn't always "It's a Small World." Other potential options included "When You Wish Upon a Star" from Pinocchio and the beloved hit "Let It Go" from Frozen. Here is Simien's full statement:
Obsessed with my nerdy love for Disney, I made it my mission to include as many Disney Easter eggs as possible. Experimenting with different ideas, I asked Kris Bowers, our composer, to play a Disney tune. After trying a few options, we found the one that universally brought about the perfect chuckle.
For a brief moment, I attempted to persuade everyone to let us do a megamix version of "Let It Go" from Frozen. Although I tried a couple of options, it was "It's a Small World" that received unanimous approval.
The "It's a Small World" Reference Works Better for Haunted Mansion
Content has been
Disney's Haunted Mansion is part of a long tradition of turning theme park attractions into movies. This trend began with the 1997 TV movie Tower of Terror and continued with early theatrical adaptations like Mission to Mars in 2000, The Country Bears in 2002, and the original Haunted Mansion in 2003. However, it wasn't until the massive success of the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie in 2003 that the format truly took off. This led to a five-movie franchise and the creation of other film adaptations such as Tomorrowland and Jungle Cruise.
Surprisingly, despite being one of Disney's most iconic theme park attractions, It's a Small World has yet to make its way to the big screen. The closest it has come is the web series It's a Small World: The Animated Series, which aired for nine episodes from November 2013 to February 2014.
Given that a proper adaptation hasn't been seen yet, it is logical to have Haunted Mansion pay tribute to It's a Small World in this manner. Although incorporating songs from Frozen and Pinocchio would have represented the Disney brand as a whole, this decision ultimately honors the theme parks that serve as the inspiration for the haunted house film. By doing so, this musical moment maintains consistency with the numerous other theme park nods found throughout the movie.
