'Haunted Mansion' premiere: Director Justin Simien addresses SAG-AFTRA strike as Disneyland event goes ahead without actors

July 15, 2023 9:54 p.m.

The world premiere of Haunted Mansion at Disneyland was the first big premiere of film affected by the SAG-AFTRA strike. None of the on-screen talent was present at the event, but director Justin Simien addressed the elephant in the room.

"Obviously, we are here at a strange time in the industry. There are people who aren't there," he said before the screening before joking that he was talking about the "multiple walkouts of RuPaul's Drag Race All-Stars."

Simien would later recognize writer Katie Dippold, adding, "Trust me, if you're a nerd and if you like this ride, that's the nerd you want in the room."

The director said that when he first read Dippold's script, he had thought it was "a brilliant and fresh film, and funny, and heartfelt, and important and meaningful from that ride. It was really important to me to protect his vision and fulfill it as best I could."

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Simien then thanked the actors who helped him make Haunted Mansion a reality by mentioning each member by name.

Haunted Mansion is inspired by the classic Disneyland amusement park ride Resort. The story of the film tells the story of a woman and her son who enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters.

The 2023 film directed by Simien is based on a screenplay by Katie Dippold. The film's cast includes LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon, Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota, Jared Leto as Hatbox Ghost, and Winona Ryder. Hasan Minhaj and Dan Levy also make an appearance in the film.

Haunted Mansion hits theaters July 28.

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