The ending of Disney's "Haunted Mansion" features
a lot of ghouls and too many dancing ghosts. But it also has fans wondering:
Is a potential sequel in the works? If the ending is any clue, we may already have our answer.
Before we jump into the film's ending, let's do a little recap of everything that leads to the
big finale. Once single mother Gabbie and her son Travis enter the mansion,
they become haunted by various ghosts. So they call on some experts,
including a psychic named Harriet and a paranormal photographer named Ben.
"I'm not afraid of a couple ghosts."
Together, the group tries to uncover the truth behind the mansion,
and a particularly treacherous being known as the Hatbox Ghost.
They eventually discover that the Hatbox Ghost is formerly Alistair Crump — a socialite who
secretly murdered many people until he was beheaded by his detractors. As the Hatbox Ghost,
Alistair has been collecting souls in the mansion for decades. He hopes to reach 1,000 souls so that
he can come back to the world of living. Once the group learns that Alistair is only one soul away,
and is targeting both Ben and Travis due to their lingering grief, they're forced
to find something that belonged to him. Once the group has the belonging, Harriet can perform a
banishing spell with Madame Leota. Unfortunately, Alistair's got plenty of tricks up his sleeve.
"You're going to be here for quite awhile."
Alistair can't use any old soul to complete his plan — it needs to come from a willing
volunteer. This is why he targets Ben and Travis. They're both still dealing with their unresolved
feelings over the deaths of loved ones, so they're vulnerable to Alistair's tricks. Travis nearly
does when Alistair mimics his father's voice, but Ben intervenes and stops it. However, this doesn't
stop Alistair from attempting to coax Ben. As a result, Ben is forced to make a crucial choice:
either sacrifice himself to save everyone else or let Alistair's reign of terror continue.
From there, Alistair transports Ben, Travis, and Gabbie to a graveyard. In the graveyard, Alistair
reminds Ben that he'll never be over Alyssa's death and that giving up his soul will be the only
way to see her again. However, Ben doesn't succumb to Alistair's tricks, and with the help of his new
friends, he defeats Alistair by kicking him into the open grave below. With a new perspective,
Ben has finally come to terms with Alyssa's death and is able to move forward in life.
Once Alistair is defeated, Ben and Travis help fulfill the Sea Captain Ghost's final
wish to be brought back to the sea. After that, Ben gives away Alyssa's belongings
and prepares to start a new chapter in his life. However, before he leaves,
he spots a cat sitting on the porch with the name Tater-Tot on its collar. The name
is tied to a story Ben told about Alyssa's love of unhealthy food. So it's a reminder of Alyssa.
When the film ends, everyone reunites at the mansion for a Halloween party,
and even the spirits get down on some singing and dancing.
The running themes in "Haunted Mansion" are about grief and how people live on in memory. Ben,
in particular, is plagued by grief over Alyssa's death, which affects him throughout the film. In
a deeply heartfelt and emotional scene, Ben talks to the group about how Alyssa's death
still haunts him. He even nearly breaks down in tears while talking about not knowing whether or
not Alyssa knew he loved her. That uncertainty is the core reason behind his continual suffering.
Meanwhile, Harriet is reminded of a lost loved one by the sounds of train whistles,
seeing as they both loved model trains. She tells Ben that he too will find something to
fondly remember Alyssa by, which will help him move on. For Ben, this is the cat, Tater-Tot.
Ben's arc in "Haunted Mansion" is meant to remind viewers that even when someone is gone,
their memory still lives on in other ways. So the biggest takeaway from the ending of
the film is that people can overcome grief without forgetting the person they've lost.
Once Alistair is pulled back into the ground, most viewers probably assumed that the rest of
the spirits would simply disappear and move on. After all, Alistair was the main thing
keeping them in the mansion. However, instead of vanishing, the ghosts move back into the
mansion and begin celebrating Alistair's demise. Alistair might have been the reason why the ghosts
were haunting everyone in the mansion, but he's not to blame for why they haven't been able to
move on. Like the Sea Captain Ghost, every spirit that remains in the mansion still has something
they're holding onto in the real world, which is preventing them from going into the afterlife.
As Harriet explains, every soul will be caught in a sort of limbo ghost world
if they leave the world of the living with regrets or unresolved baggage. So,
while they would understandably want to party in the mansion after Alistair is dealt with,
there's still some unresolved aspects in their stories. This is why they can't leave yet.
"These ghosts…"
"...they're running from something."
Despite the fact that Disney is always trying to turn their new films into franchises,
"Haunted Mansion" features an ending that pretty much closes the book on the story.
The end of the film doesn't tease any potential for Ben and the others to return, nor a way for
the ghosts of the mansion to have their stories fleshed out. So, it seems like "Haunted Mansion"
could be a one-and-done story for Disney, which is a rarity in Hollywood nowadays.
However, there are still some avenues for a potential sequel. A sequel could
easily see Ben and the group deal with a different haunted mansion,
or even become acquainted with some of the ghosts still lurking around the original mansion. Given
the mansion's murder-filled history, there could even be a new antagonist that rises
up. That antagonist may even be able to acquire the power that eluded Alistair.
Obviously, a strong box office performance and positive critical reception could entice
Disney to do more movies in this world. However, with Disney CEO
Bob Iger's recent comments about downsizing some of the company's established franchises,
it's probably more likely that this will be the only "Haunted Mansion" movie for quite a while.
"Is this the man who mugged you?"
"Wow! You just did that just now?"
Although there hasn't been an announcement of a sequel to "Haunted Mansion," director
Justin Simien has stated that the door is open for more stories in this world.
While talking with SFX Magazine, Simien mentioned that he believes
the film's world-building creates tons of potential for a sequel. He told the outlet:
"It's definitely in the realm of possibility."
Simien also said that a lot of thought went into fleshing out the world that
the movie takes place in, before adding, "It was really just about expanding what
we know and what we can see around the story just a bit further, but not filling in every blank."
He then went on to say:
"We certainly set up a lot that I think a lot of other stories could derive from
and continue from. Not really up to me, but I definitely think there are possibilities there."
Simien went even further in talking about how the film's depiction of the
Hatbox Ghost can be applied to other ghouls within the story. He told SFX,
"We're pulling from what has been established,
what really has been rumored, and tried to flesh him out and flesh that story out
too. I think it's really satisfying. But it also leaves the door open for a lot more."
While the decision lies with the higher-ups,
the director clearly sees potential for "Haunted Mansion" to be further explored.
Even if a direct sequel doesn't happen, there are other ways that
Disney could continue the story of these characters and this world. For example,
there could be spin-off films focusing on the stories of the various ghosts,
kind of like what The Conjuring Universe does with its spooky characters. Disney
could even make a villain-focused origin movie for the Hatbox Ghost, just like they
did with "Maleficent" and "Cruella". And if they wanted an alternative to the big screen
in order to keep costs down, Disney+ would be a great place for "Haunted Mansion" content.
Moreover, an animated series focusing on the film's characters and ghosts could be an
absolute blast and deliver some family-friendly horror that audiences of all ages would enjoy.
Another "Haunted Mansion" crossover could also be worth looking into. After all,
it already happened not too long ago with "Muppets Haunted Mansion," which most critics loved.
Imagine how fun it would be to see Mickey Mouse or other Disney characters going through their
own terrifying journey in the "Haunted Mansion" franchise. Frankly, it sounds like a perfect
recurring Halloween special for the streamer. Another great idea is an anthology series based
on the ghosts of the mansion, with a new ghoul's past fleshed out every week in a new episode.
"Death lurks around every corner."
"Haunted Mansion" is far from being the first of Disney's theme park rides to get its own
movie — and it definitely won't be the last. Along with a sequel to 2021's "Jungle Cruise,"
Disney is set to develop more "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, as well as movies based on
rides like "Big Thunder Mountain Railroad" and "Space Mountain." While it's clear that Disney
isn't pumping the brakes on trying to bring their most famous rides onto the big screen,
the lack of franchise building in the ending of "Haunted Mansion" could be a sign that
the company's other ride-inspired movies might also just be one-offs.
Aside from "Pirates of the Caribbean," none of Disney's ride adaptations have
been successful enough or garnered a big enough fanbase to keep them afloat
for multiple pictures. If "Haunted Mansion" does well, maybe that would change. However,
the ending of "Haunted Mansion" makes it pretty obvious that Disney doesn't intend
on churning out multiple movies unless they determine there's an appetite for them. So,
the upcoming "Big Thunder Mountain Railroad" and "Space Mountain" films — as well as any other
ride adaptations Disney decides to make in the future — will likely be standalone adventures.
As mentioned earlier, the idea of other franchises crossing over with "The Haunted Mansion" isn't all
that strange since it happened not too long ago. From Mickey and his friends having an animated
horror adventure to Marvel characters taking a trip to the iconic horror site,
there are plenty of cool crossovers that would be incredible to see. But you know
what would be a really amazing crossover? One with Disney's' 2003 "Haunted Mansion" movie.
While it would be tough to believe that these movies take place in the same world,
there's surely a storyline that could bring these two universes together. The
idea of seeing LaKeith Stanfield, who plays Ben in the 2023 film,
and Eddie Murphy on the big screen together sounds like an absolute treat.
"Dark spirits? Don't you make no dark spirits come out."
Sure, it's a wildly ambitious task, but it's something that Disney could
certainly make happen. And it's just one of the many potential crossovers
that could make the "Haunted Mansion" franchise something truly special.