History Film / TheHauntedMansion

In 2010, Disney announced plans to take another whack at a ''Haunted Mansion'' movie, to be headed by Creator/GuillermoDelToro, though it has fallen into DevelopmentHell between Guillermo's busy schedule and trying to get the right script. In 2015, it seems to have started taking additional steps forward, with the announcement of Creator/RyanGosling as the star but news after that also died out. In 2020, another attempt [[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/haunted-mansion-movie-in-the-works-with-writer-katie-dippold-exclusive is being made by screenwriter Katie Dippold]] of ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'', ''Film/TheHeat'', and ''Film/Ghostbusters2016'', reportedly with Justin Simien (''Film/DearWhitePeople'') directing and Creator/LakeithStanfield, Creator/TiffanyHaddish and Creator/OwenWilson starring.

In 2010, Disney announced plans to take another whack at a ''Haunted Mansion'' movie, to be headed by Creator/GuillermoDelToro, though it has fallen into DevelopmentHell between Guillermo's busy schedule and trying to get the right script. In 2015, it seems to have started taking additional steps forward, with the announcement of Creator/RyanGosling as the star but news after that also died out. In 2020, another attempt [[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/haunted-mansion-movie-in-the-works-with-writer-katie-dippold-exclusive is being made by screenwriter Katie Dippold]] of ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'', ''Film/TheHeat'', and ''Film/Ghostbusters2016'', with director Justin Simien (''Film/DearWhitePeople'') in talks to direct.

* ApologeticAttacker: [[spoiler:Gracey says, "Forgive me," to Jim before he means to kill him with his sword. Jim convinces Gracey he is telling the truth by producing Elizabeth's real letter and ordering him to read it.]]

* AvoidTheDreadedGRating: Probably the reason the BigBad says "Damn you all to Hell" at the climax. Though the scene where the main characters are attacked by [[DemBones undead skeletons]] likely helped.

* BookEnds: The "[[HilariousInHindsight Welcome, Foolish Mortals]]" and Madame Leota's "Be sure to bring your... ''death'' certificate" [[TheStinger Stinger]] echo the ride.

In 2010, Disney announced plans to take another whack at a ''Haunted Mansion'' movie, to be headed by Creator/GuillermoDelToro, though it has fallen into DevelopmentHell between Guillermo's busy schedule and trying to get the right script. In 2015, it seems to have started taking additional steps forward, with the announcement of Creator/RyanGosling as the star but news after that also died out. On August 28, 2020, another attempt [[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/haunted-mansion-movie-in-the-works-with-writer-katie-dippold-exclusive is being made by screenwriter Katie Dippold]] of ''Series/ParksAndRecreation'', ''Film/TheHeat'', and ''Film/Ghostbusters2016''.

* SpannerInTheWorks: The ghost ball [[spoiler: that turns out to be Elizabeth]]. Ramsley implies that he was going to use the children as collateral anyway but didn't find them in their room because they had followed it into the attic. This leads to Jim and the kids finding out about the ghosts.

* SpannerInTheWorks: The ghost ball [[spoiler: that turns out to be Elizabeth]]. Ramsey implies that he was going to use the children as collateral anyway but didn't find them in their room because they had followed it into the attic. This leads to Jim and the kids finding out about the ghosts.

* IdenticalStranger: [[spoiler: It turns out that Sara Evers is a dead-ringer for Elizabeth Henshaw, Master Gracey's fiancee. Ramsley plans to use this resemblance to break the curse, by deceving Gracey into thinking Sara's really Elizabeth.]]

** [[spoiler:Jim yells "Michael! Megan!" when he sees the trunk they're trapped in and held up by a chain, before attempting to tush topwards them./ Sara did the same earlier when Ramsley implicitly threatens them in a ShameIfSomethingHappened moment.]]

* EstablishingCharacterMoment: Michael is first seen screaming because of a spider on his bedroom window, and being unable to hit it as Jim wants him to.

* GlowingEyesOfDoom: [[spoiler:Ramsley at the end, when he conjures a horde of spirits to kill the people responsible for ruining his plans. A demon drags him to hell before anyone is harmed.]]

* HeavenlyBlue: The vast majority of the spirits rise up to heaven, which is a soft and welcoming glow,

* JerkWithAHeartOfGold: Jim. Sara really doesn't like how he puts work first in his life, which makes him neglect almost everything else, but that doesn't mean he doesn't care. He definitely loves his family, and goes all PapaWolf when they are threatened.
** Megan too. She comes across as a BrattyTeenageDaughter a lot, snarks at everything, including Jim, and is often quite rude and aloof. She still cares, though, as she willingly helps Jim find the key in the mausoleum, expresses sympathy with Gracey's plight, and is disgusted when [[spoiler: Ramsley is revealed to have murdered Elizabeth, telling Jim to punch his face in.]]

%%* SceneryPorn

** In the prologue, Gracey and his fiancee are hosting a fancy dress ball and [[WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast he's wearing a blue jacket with gold trim while she's wearing gold ballgown with her hair done up]].

* TarotMotifs: Several tarot cards are seen in the opening flashback.

* WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes: Michael's fear of spiders. It becomes a serious stumbling block when his father and sister are [[spoiler:stuck in a crypt with undead, the door out gets covered in spiders, and he's the only one who can open it]].

In 2010, Disney announced plans to take another whack at a ''Haunted Mansion'' movie, to be headed by Creator/GuillermoDelToro, though it has fallen into DevelopmentHell between Guillermo's busy schedule and trying to get the right script. In 2015, it seems to have started taking additional steps forward, with the announcement of Creator/RyanGosling as the star.

Workaholic realtor Jim Evers (played by Creator/EddieMurphy) and his family -- wife Sara (Marsha Thomason), son Michael and daughter Megan -- are invited to the old and haunted Gracey Manor outside of UsefulNotes/NewOrleans. Things take a sinister turn when the family learns that the ghostly owner, Master Edward Gracey (Creator/NathanielParker) and his butler Ramsley (Creator/TerenceStamp), both believe Sara to be the reincarnation of Gracey's long-lost fiance Elizabeth and that she will be the key to lifting the curse on the house that keeps the 999 souls from passing onto the next world. With the help of Madame Leota (Creator/JenniferTilly) and a few ghostly servants, Jim and his kids must uncover the truth behind what really happened to Elizabeth, encountering the many ghosts of the graveyard, zombies, haunted suits of armor and the gates of {{Hell}} themselves opening.

* AreWeThereYet: The final shot of the movie, on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Bridge , has the kids saying it.

* ChekhovsGun: The Evers' BMW. Jim drives the family to the mansion in it, then in the climax, where he gets trapped outside by Ramsley, he pulls off a CarFu moment with it to break back into the mansion and save the others.

* EvilPlan: [[spoiler:Ramsley]] wants to lift the curse without Gracey learning the truth about Elizabeth's death, as this would mean that he would be damned to hell rather than ascend to heaven with the other ghosts. However, lifting the curse requires reuniting Gracey with the woman he loves, and the truth would inevitably be revealed should Elizabeth's spirit return. When Ramsley discovers Sara, a woman closely resembling Elizabeth, he tricks Gracey into believing that Sara is the amnesiac reincarnation of Elizabeth and lure her to the mansion. Ramsley would then force Sara to pose as Elizabeth and marry Gracey, during which she would kill herself and unite them in death, thereby hopefully lifting the curse by making Gracey "think" he's finally reunited with Elizabeth. Even though by this means everyone is freed he is remarkably callous to the other ghosts and will go to any means to succeed, even killing the homeowners.]]

* JumpScare: InUniverse and out. Jim tries to get Sara to open the bathroom door when she shuts herself in there after Jim makes an insensitive comment, then he turns around and gets a shock as [[StealthHiBye Ramsley is standing behind him]].

%%* OminousMusicBoxTune

%%* OurGhostsAreDifferent

* ShoutOut: In the prologue, Gracey and his fiancee are hosting a fancy dress ball and [[WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast he's wearing a blue jacket with gold trim while she's wearing gold ballgown with her hair done up]].

* StealthHiBye: Coupled with JumpScare. Ramsley suddenly appears behind Jim in his and Sara's room when Jim tries unsuccessfully to get Sara to come out of the bathroom.

%%* UnfinishedBusiness: The only way to lift the curse is to reveal the truth of what happened to Elizabeth, thereby freeing her spirit to reunite with Gracey.

* ShoutOut: In the prologue, Gracey and his fiancee are hosting a fancy dress ball and [[Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast he's wearing a blue jacket with gold trim while she's wearing gold ballgown with her hair done up]].

* SpannerInTheWorks: The ghost ball [[spoiler: that turns out to be Elizabeth]]. Ramsey implies that he was going to use the children as collateral anyway but didn't find them in their room because they had followed it. This leads to Jim and the kids finding out about the ghosts.

* BigDamnKiss: [[spoiler:Gracey and Elizabeth (in Sara's body) after the climax. Megan and Michael are understandably {{Squick}}ed.]]

** Megan too. She comes across as a BrattyTeenageDaughter a lot, snarks at everything, including Jim, and is often quite rude and aloof. She still cares, though, willingly helps Jim find the key in the mausoleum expresses sympathy with Gracey's plight and is disgusted when [[spoiler: Ramsley is revealed to have murdered Elizabeth, telling Jim to punch his face in.]]

* MonochromeApparition: The ghosts are whitish-blue, as are many of the ghosts in the actual ride. They are capable or appearing as living people unless they leave the mansion.

* BarbershopQuartetsAreFunny: The singing busts are a barbershop quartet of Living Statues who repeat the words other people say as a song or go off on tangents from there, making any attempt at a sensible conversation with them impossible.
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Ramsley claims "Damn you all to Hell!" after having been exposed. [[spoiler: [[DoNotTauntCthulhu Hell directly responds to his invokement]], but instead of taking everyone, it's identified him as the soul responsible for murder (among other things) and drags him down via a fiery serpent]].

* DisneyDeath: [[spoiler:Sara gets one, dying but then coming back thanks to Elizabeth.]]

* DraggedOffToHell: [[spoiler:Ramsley in the climax, by some devilish fire snake coming from the fireplace. He almost drags Jim along with him, but the hero is saved by Edward.]]

* EverythingsBetterWithSparkles: The ghosts are designed to look like they are covered with reflective glass beads.
* EvilPlan: [[spoiler:Ramsley]] wants to lift the curse, and though by this means everyone is freed he is remarkably callous to the other ghosts and will go to any means to succeed, even killing the homeowners.

* GlowingEyesOfDoom: [[spoiler:Ramsley at the end, when he conjures the forces of Hell. It ultimately backfires.]]

* IDidWhatIHadToDo: [[spoiler:Ramsley when he murders Elizabeth, figuring that it would stop Gracey from throwing away his home and heritage.]]
* ItsAllAboutMe: [[spoiler: Unlike the other souls sealed in the mansion, Ramsley doesn't want the curse to be broken, probably because he knows he's doomed to Hell if he ever ''does'' move on. He's willing to not only keep his own master and 997 souls trapped on the earthly plane for eternity, but kill an innocent woman and threaten her family, just to keep up the charade and prevent his own punishment.]]

* MonochromeApparition: The ghosts are whitish-blue, as are many of the ghosts in the actual ride.

* SpeakNowOrForeverHoldYourPeace: [[spoiler:During the sham wedding ceremony, just as Sara is about to drink from the goblet, Ramsley says, "If anyone has any objections--" which is of course the moment Jim bursts in.]]
* StalkerWithACrush: [[spoiler:Gracey to Sara. Justified, as he thinks she's Elizabeth, which is what Ramsley wants him to think, so the curse can be lifted.]]

%%* UnfinishedBusiness

The film was met with weak responses from critics and fans because of the film's decision to focus on the antics of Eddie Murphy and de-emphasize some of the ride's more notable elements. For this reason it earned a 13% approval rating amongst critics at Website/RottenTomatoes. But the movie does have its fans, and kids seem to love the film (plus it's easier to make sense of whats going on if you DVD Skip everything between the opening credits and when the family arrives at the house). The bright spots are the gorgeous set designs, ride-based {{Mythology Gag}}s, and the music, which pays a nice tribute to Buddy Baker and Grim Grinning Ghosts.[[note]]Unfortunately, the actual soundtrack was never officially released; instead we got ''The Haunted Mansion - Haunted Hits'', a tie-in compilation which consisted of one soundtrack song, several {{cover version}}s of 1980s pop horror songs by unknown artists, and a bizarre cover of "Grim Grinning Ghosts" by Music/BarenakedLadies. [[KeepCirculatingTheTapes Only a few incredibly rare copies of the true soundtrack exist -- they were used to submit it for a movie award nomination, they were auctioned for a final bidding price of $500, and they subsequently became highly sought-after memorabilia.]][[/note]]

* WouldHurtAChild: Implied. [[spoiler: Ramsley imprisons Megan and Michael in a trunk and [[KickTheDog KicksTheDog]] by threatening Sara with a ShameIfSomethingHappened moment, implying further harm will come to them if she doesn't comply.]]

* SpeakNowOrForeverHoldYourPeace: [[spoiler:During the sham wedding ceremony, just as Sara is about to drink from the goblet, Ramsley says, "If anyone has any objections--" which is of course the moment Jim bursts in.

** Sara screams "JIM!" when Ramsley is dragged by the fiery serpent to be dragged off to Hell, and he grabs Jim by the leg to drag him off too. Luckily, Gracey saves him. Then a quiet murmur of "Jim..." before she dies.]]

* CowardlyLion: Michael. He's terrified of spiders and seems quite insecure, [[spoiler:but when Jim and Megan get trapped in the mausoleum with spiders crawling all over the door and the zombies advance on them, he does eventually brave himself to open the door and save them both.]]

* OnlyOneName: Ramsley is obviously the character's surname.

* CordonBleughChef / ForeignQueasine: What the butler serves the trespassing family.

* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor: Ramsey claims "Damn you all to Hell!" after having been exposed. [[spoiler: [[DoNotTauntCthulhu Hell directly responds to his invokement]], but instead of taking everyone, it's identified him as the soul responsible for murder (among other things) and drags him down via a fiery serpent]].

* BigBad: Ramsley the butler.

* OnlyOneName: Ramsley is obviously the character's surname,

* WhamLine: When Jim finds the letter Elizabeth wrote hidden in the old trunk, which reveals the truth about that fatal night