'Haunted Mansion' director Guillermo Del Toro has turned his latest film 'Crimson Peak' into a Halloween Horror Nights attraction in Universal Studios Hollywood (USH). Making the attraction based off the film is opposite of the 'Haunted Mansion' film production, which is based on a Disney theme park attraction. Del Toro is also rumored to be taking on a mystery project which is described as "Wall-E meets Splash"
In an interview with IGN, the 50-year old director talked about how he came to making the attraction called 'Crimson Peak: Maze of Darkness'. According to the Creative Director of Halloween Horror Nights at USH, John Murdy, they were already set to work with del Toro for Horror Nights last year for a different maze but was put on hold because of the production of Crimson Peak, which is also produced by Universal Studios. Later on, the team realized that del Toro's film is perfectly suitable for the Horror Nights itself.
The 'Haunted Mansion' director was very involved in the making of the Maze of Darkness, ensuring that the visuals and everything else are matching with the film. Murdy mentioned he received a "staggering 38,000 photos" from the movie production and took suggestions from del Toro on the set pieces on the maze.
In another article by Venture Capital Post, Ryan Gosling was reported to star in Guillermo del Toro's attraction-based film, 'Haunted Mansion'. As a del Toro film, the upcoming 'Haunted Mansion' is said to be a "darker version" of the first film which featured Eddie Murphy. The 2003 movie was not a big blockbuster hit and received negative reviews from critics.
Meanwhile, del Toro is also rumored to have another project on his plate, albeit details are quite confidential. According to Screen Crush, the 'Haunted Mansion' director is possibly working with Fox Searchlight on a secret project that is described as a "WALL-E meets Splash" film. The speculation is that he is in-charge as director and producer.
Del Toro, aside from being a well-known filmmaker, is also a "theme park and horror maze aficionado". It is no surprise that he would be involved in making a film-based horror night attraction and a theme park-horror attraction-based film. The director quips that he finds it "exciting to see your movie coming to life in this manner."
Disney has been actively endeavouring ways to produce a theme park attraction-based film franchise to follow the successful Pirates of the Caribbean series. Guillermo del Toro's 'Haunted Mansion' is their latest project hoping to realize that. On the other hand, del Toro's 'Crimson Peak: Maze of Darkness' opens September 18 at the Universal Studios Hollywood, and the film opens October 16 globally.
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