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.
