‘Haunted Mansion’ Premiere: Director Justin Simien Addresses SAG-AFTRA Strike As Disneyland Event Takes Place Without Actors
deadline.comThe Haunted Mansion world premiere at Disneyland was the first major movie premiere affected by the SAG-AFTRA strike. None of the on-screen talent was at the event but director Justin Simien did address the elephant in the room. “Obviously, we’re here at a weird time in the industry.
There are some folks that aren’t here,” he said prior to the screening before joking he was talking about the “multiple walkouts of RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars.” Simien would later acknowledge writer Katie Dippold adding, “Trust me, if you’re a nerd and if you love this ride, that is the nerd you want in the room.” The director said that when he first read the script by Dippold he thought it was “a brilliant and fresh, and funny, and heartfelt, and important and meaningful take on this ride.
It was really important to me to protect her vision and to realize it the best I could.” Simien went on to thank the cast that helped him make Haunted Mansion a reality mentioning each member by name.
Haunted Mansion is inspired by the classic ride at the Disneyland Resort theme park. The story of the film is about a woman and her son who enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters.
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