Those working on the effects for the upcoming film Muppets Haunted Mansion worked closely with Disney to make sure both worlds came together to make the final project, as the film’s lead Gonzo says, “the most hilarious and harrowing Halloween ever.”
Director Christopher Alender, whose company Soapbox Films produced episodes of the new Muppets series on Disney+, Muppets Now, also worked with Disney to design the look of the Mansion in the movie as the actual Haunted Mansion could not be used for filming.
In a recent interview with Conskipper, Alender said the mansion looks a lot different with the lights turned on, and work had to be done to “Muppetfy” the set.
“We also do a lot of work for Disney Parks, and when we started Muppets Haunted Mansion, we thought we aren’t going to be able to shoot any stuff in the ride because it is designed to be a ride and not act as a movie set,” Alender explained.
So teams from the parks gave Alender and his team reference material, such as lidar scans, schematics, and a Doom Buggy.
“The Mansion in the movie is Muppet-fied to a great extent and it is really a new version to add to the canon of all of the other Mansions in Disney Parks around the world,” Alender said. “We reworked the classic Haunted Mansion wallpaper with Muppet motifs, as well as the wrought iron gates, ax handles, door numbers, etc. Muppets Haunted Mansion may even be a little edgier than you expect, but then again, The Mansion and The Muppets have always gone farther than you expect in a lot of cases.”
Muppets Haunted Mansion features Muppets Gonzo and Pepé the King Prawn as they work their way through the Mansion, hoping to get out before they become permanent ghostly residents.
The film debuts on Disney+ tomorrow, Friday, October 8.
Besides all of your favorite Muppets, Muppets Haunted Mansion will also feature Will Arnett, Danny Trejo, Darren Criss, Sasheer Zamata, Taraji P. Henson, Chriss Metz, Alfonso Ribiero, Yvette Nicole Brown, the late Ed Asner, and more.
