Ryan Gosling, whose directorial debut Lost River hits US theaters today, is in talks with Disney to star in their upcoming Haunted Mansion film, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film, based on the classic Disneyland ride, is reported to be helmed by award-winning director Guillermo Del Toro.
The project was announced by Del Toro and Disney at 2010’s Comic Con, but has been under the radar since then. Gosling and Del Toro are both huge Disney fans and have spent time together at the legendary theme park, most recently during the Oscar weekend, checking out the Mansion, among other rides. Disney previously turned the ride into a feature with 2003’s The Haunted Mansion starring Eddie Murphy, but the film recieved decidedly mixed reviews.
Del Toro (the upcoming Crimson Peak) seems a perfect choice to direct. He’s reportedly such a fan of the Haunted Mansion ride that he has set up a room in his home as an homage to it, including original art from Disney Imagineer Marc Davis, a co-designer of the ride. D.V. DeVincentis (Grosse Point Blank) is working on the most recent draft of the screenplay.