Disney stamped release dates Thursday on some of its biggest announcements from out of its D23 convention, most notably shifting “Haunted Mansion” from the spring of next year to now open in a prime summer 2023 slot on August 11, 2023, while also dating “Mufasa: The Lion King” for July 5, 2024.
Other dates were Taika Waititi’s “Next Goal Wins” for April 21, 2023, Pixar’s “Elio” for March 1, 2024, and Disney’s “Snow White” for March 22, 2024. Disney’s animated “Wish,” which was previously set for just 2023, will open Nov. 22, 2023.
The move also coincides with the removal of the “Star Wars” feature “Rogue Squadron” from the release slate, Patty Jenkins’ spinoff film that was originally meant to open December 2023.
Some of the previously announced release dates out of D23 included “Inside Out 2” on June 14, 2024 and some other untitled Marvel and Disney Live Action dates taken off the prior calendar.
“Haunted Mansion,” which is directed by Justin Simien and is a new film based on the Haunted Mansion attraction in Disney theme parks, now opens against the horror film “Last Voyage of the Demeter,” Sony’s video game movie “Gran Turismo” and the Zendaya film “Challengers.” “Haunted Mansion” stars Rosario Dawson, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Jared Leto and Jamie Lee Curtis.
As for “Mufasa: The Lion King,” “Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins is now in the director’s chair after the live-action “Lion King” from 2019. Jenkins told the crowd at D23 that the movie tells the story of how Simba’s father rose to become King of the Pridelands, with Rafiki as the narrator. While Mufasa would become a figure of wisdom to his son and to everyone in the Pridelands, he wasn’t destined for greatness and in fact came from a very rough cubhood. No cast has been announced for the film.
