Haunted Mansion does right by the Disney ride’s scariest ghost

polygon.com:

Disney’s 2023 movie Haunted Mansion is packed to the brim with ghosts lifted directly from the theme park ride. The notorious Hatbox Ghost, played by Jared Leto in the film, has a huge role, as does psychic-in-a-crystal-ball Madame Leota (Jamie Lee Curtis). But other, subtler ride appearances include the portraits on the walls and the ghosts dangling from the dining room’s chandelier. Some of the ghosts are allies for protagonists Ben (LaKeith Stanfield) and Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) and their friends. Others are genuine threats. Most, though, are just there for the #vibes.

But while the Hatbox Ghost gets a central role out of proportion to his historical appearance on the ride (though certainly in accordance with his huge fandom), the actual scariest ghost — and the one who has always been the scariest part of the ride, in my opinion — gets her time to shine in what’s definitely the spookiest moment in an often not very spooky movie.

[Ed. note: Spoilers ahead for Haunted Mansion, both the 2023 movie and the Disney Parks attraction.]

Haunted Mansion gives the Bride — aka Constance Hatchaway, a serial killer who murdered all of her husbands with an ax, and who now haunts the mansion’s attic — her time to shine. She doesn’t have a critical role in the movie, but her scenes are some of the most memorable parts, which is fitting for the character.

When I was a kid, I was terrified by the Haunted Mansion, but it intrigued me, too. After a traumatic experience with a haunted house attraction when I was very young, I resisted the Haunted Mansion ride during my first few Disney trips, even though I always had a fascination with Halloween and all things spooky. Finally, armed with internet access, I looked up the Wikipedia page