First Haunted Mansion reactions praise humor, scares, easter eggs

The first reactions to Disney’s Haunted Mansion have emerged following its world premiere, and it seems as if the studio has hit the mark this time around with a movie that might have viewers hurrying back…

Much of the praise for Haunted Mansion centers around it being just the sort of movie that will be enjoyable for adults, the little ones and die-hard fans of the iconic dark ride, with as many easter eggs as there are happy haunts. Check out some of the Haunted Mansion reactions below:

Some who have seen Haunted Mansion also singled out individuals who worked on the movie, including director Justin Simien (who has apparently done a much better job than Rob Minkoff’s 2003 take), star LaKeith Stanfield’s performance, writer Katie Dippold’s intricate screenplay, and composer Kris Bowers’ eerie score.

The premiere of Haunted Mansion – held at Disneyland over the weekend – was certainly an odd one, having been directly impacted by the SAG-AFTRA strike in that none of the cast was in attendance and had to be replaced on the red carpet by the likes of Maleficent, the Queen from Snow White and Cruella de Vil…and Mickey and Minnie, of course!

Another take on the Haunted Mansion ride – which opened in Disneyland’s New Orleans Square in 1969 – has been on and off the seance table for over a decade now, with the most promising version attached to Guillermo del Toro. Unfortunately, we’ll never get to see del Toro’s take on the ride, but based on these early reactions, moviegoers of all ages should be in for quite a ride.

Haunted Mansion’s official plot: “In this mysterious adventure, a doctor (Rosario Dawson) and her 9-year-old son (Chase W. Dillon), looking to start a new life, move into a strangely affordable mansion in New Orleans, only to discover that the place is much more than they bargained for. Desperate for help, they contact a priest (Owen Wilson), who, in turn, enlists the aid of a widowed scientist-turned-failed-paranormal expert (LaKeith Stanfield), a French Quarter psychic (Tiffany Haddish), and a crotchety historian (Danny DeVito).” The Haunted Mansion comes to theaters on July 28th.

Do the first reactions for Haunted Mansion get you more excited for the latest big screen take on the ride? Will you be catching it opening weekend? Let us know in the comments section below!