As if the success of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise wasn’t proof enough, Disney has fully realized that theme park ride movies are a hit thanks to the recent “Jungle Cruise” box office success. Now, the studio is moving ahead with its next foray in the world of turning Disneyland/Disney World into a movie franchise by casting Owen Wilson in the upcoming “Haunted Mansion” film.
As reported by THR, Owen Wilson has joined LaKeith Stanfield and Tiffany Haddish in the growing ensemble cast of the forthcoming “Haunted Mansion” film that is set to begin production this fall. While it’s unclear what the actual plot details and roles might be for Wilson and his co-stars, the film is expected to follow the story of a family that moves into, well, a haunted mansion full of ghosts and whatnot. But the kind of ghosts are that more funny than scary because this is a Disney movie, after all.
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Owen Wilson has a huge filmography, appearing in everything from action films to indie comedies. Most recently, he ventured into the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Mobius in the hit Disney+ TV series, “Loki.” And it would appear the actor isn’t ready to leave the Mouse House just yet.
“Haunted Mansion” is set to be directed by “Dear White People” filmmaker Justin Simien, based on a script by Katie Dippold, who wrote “The Heat” and the 2016 “Ghostbusters.” Filming is expected to begin in October, which would lead people to believe that Disney is hoping “Haunted Mansion” could be a 2022 release, probably timed around next Halloween.