Haunted Mansion
A woman and her son enlist a motley crew of so-called spiritual experts to help rid their home of supernatural squatters.
The film underperformed commercially against its blockbuster budget of $157.8M, earning $117.4M globally (-26% loss). While initial box office returns were modest, the film has gained appreciation for its innovative storytelling within the comedy genre.
Plot Structure
Story beats plotted across runtime
Narrative Arc
Emotional journey through the story's key moments
Story Circle
Blueprint 15-beat structure
Arcplot Score Breakdown
Weighted: Precision (70%) + Arc (15%) + Theme (15%)
Haunted Mansion (2023) demonstrates carefully calibrated plot construction, characteristic of Justin Simien's storytelling approach. This structural analysis examines how the film's 15-point plot structure maps to proven narrative frameworks across 2 hours and 3 minutes. With an Arcplot score of 7.0, the film balances conventional beats with creative variation.
Characters
Cast & narrative archetypes
Ben Matthias
Gabbie
Father Kent
Harriet
Bruce Davis
Travis
The Hatbox Ghost (Alistair Crump)
William Gracey
Main Cast & Characters
Ben Matthias
Played by LaKeith Stanfield
A grieving astrophysicist and widower who reluctantly becomes involved in helping exorcise a haunted mansion.
Gabbie
Played by Rosario Dawson
A single mother who purchases the haunted mansion and seeks help when she and her son become terrorized by ghosts.
Father Kent
Played by Owen Wilson
A young, enthusiastic priest who enlists Ben's help to investigate the supernatural occurrences at the mansion.
Harriet
Played by Tiffany Haddish
A quirky academic historian and expert on the mansion's dark history who joins the team.
Bruce Davis
Played by Danny DeVito
A flamboyant medium and psychic who claims he can communicate with the spirits haunting the mansion.
Travis
Played by Chase W. Dillon
Gabbie's young son who becomes attached to the ghosts and befriends them despite the danger.
The Hatbox Ghost (Alistair Crump)
Played by Jared Leto
The primary antagonist, a malevolent spirit who seeks to trap souls in the mansion for eternity.
William Gracey
Played by Dan Levy
A tragic ghost who was the mansion's original owner, trapped by the Hatbox Ghost and seeking redemption.
Structural Analysis
The Status Quo at 1 minutes (1% through the runtime) establishes Ben Matthias, a passionate astrophysicist, gives an enthusiastic ghost tour in New Orleans, full of life and humor. He meets Alyssa, a fellow tour guide, sparking immediate chemistry and joy.. Notably, this early placement immediately immerses viewers in the story world.
The inciting incident occurs at 14 minutes when Ben reluctantly visits the mansion for a quick paycheck. Upon entering, he encounters real supernatural phenomena and is marked by the ghosts - they now follow him home, making his avoidance strategy impossible.. At 12% through the film, this Disruption aligns precisely with traditional story structure. This beat shifts the emotional landscape, launching the protagonist into the central conflict.
The First Threshold at 31 minutes marks the transition into Act II, occurring at 25% of the runtime. This reveals the protagonist's commitment to Ben makes the active choice to stay and help Gabbie and Travis. Rather than running from the ghosts (and his grief), he commits to solving the mansion's mystery and freeing everyone from Crump's curse., moving from reaction to action.
At 62 minutes, the Midpoint arrives at 50% of the runtime—precisely centered, creating perfect narrative symmetry. Structural examination shows that this crucial beat False defeat: Crump reveals his full power and plan. The team discovers Madame Leota is trapped in her crystal ball by Crump. They attempt to banish him using a séance, but Crump overpowers them, demonstrating he's far more dangerous than they realized. The stakes escalate dramatically., fundamentally raising what's at risk. The emotional intensity shifts, dividing the narrative into clear before-and-after phases.
The Collapse moment at 92 minutes (75% through) represents the emotional nadir. Here, Crump captures Travis and begins the ritual to take his soul as the 1,000th. Ben confronts a vision of Alyssa that's actually Crump's manipulation, forcing Ben to face his deepest pain. The team is scattered and seemingly defeated. Ben hits rock bottom, consumed by grief and failure., illustrates the protagonist at their lowest point. This beat's placement in the final quarter sets up the climactic reversal.
The Second Threshold at 98 minutes initiates the final act resolution at 80% of the runtime. Ben realizes Crump's weakness: the hat that contains his power. He rallies the team with newfound purpose, combining his scientific knowledge with the supernatural. He accepts his grief while choosing to live fully - synthesizing his past self with his growth., demonstrating the transformation achieved throughout the journey.
Emotional Journey
Haunted Mansion's emotional architecture traces a deliberate progression across 15 carefully calibrated beats.
Narrative Framework
This structural analysis employs systematic plot point analysis that identifies crucial turning points. By mapping Haunted Mansion against these established plot points, we can identify how Justin Simien utilizes or subverts traditional narrative conventions. The plot point approach reveals not only adherence to structural principles but also creative choices that distinguish Haunted Mansion within the comedy genre.
Comparative Analysis
Additional comedy films include The Bad Guys, Ella Enchanted and The Evening Star.
Plot Points by Act
Act I
SetupStatus Quo
Ben Matthias, a passionate astrophysicist, gives an enthusiastic ghost tour in New Orleans, full of life and humor. He meets Alyssa, a fellow tour guide, sparking immediate chemistry and joy.
Theme
Alyssa tells Ben, "You can't run from pain. You have to face it head-on or it'll haunt you forever." This establishes the film's central theme about confronting grief rather than avoiding it.
Worldbuilding
Time jump reveals Ben now isolated and broken after Alyssa's death. He lives alone, has abandoned astrophysics, and runs a cynical ghost tour business from his apartment. Gabbie desperately seeks his help, claiming her newly purchased mansion is genuinely haunted.
Disruption
Ben reluctantly visits the mansion for a quick paycheck. Upon entering, he encounters real supernatural phenomena and is marked by the ghosts - they now follow him home, making his avoidance strategy impossible.
Resistance
Ben resists full involvement but assembles a team: Father Kent (priest), Harriet (psychic), and Professor Bruce Davis (historian). They research the mansion's dark history and learn about Alistair Crump, a wealthy heir who killed others to collect 1,000 souls and achieve immortality.
Act II
ConfrontationFirst Threshold
Ben makes the active choice to stay and help Gabbie and Travis. Rather than running from the ghosts (and his grief), he commits to solving the mansion's mystery and freeing everyone from Crump's curse.
Mirror World
Ben bonds with Gabbie over shared grief - she lost her husband, he lost Alyssa. Their connection shows Ben a path forward: healing through helping others rather than isolating himself. Travis also needs Ben as a father figure.
Premise
The team explores the mansion, encounters various ghosts, and pieces together Crump's backstory. Comic supernatural encounters mix with investigation. They discover Crump needs one final soul to complete his 1,000 and escape the mansion - and he's targeting Travis.
Midpoint
False defeat: Crump reveals his full power and plan. The team discovers Madame Leota is trapped in her crystal ball by Crump. They attempt to banish him using a séance, but Crump overpowers them, demonstrating he's far more dangerous than they realized. The stakes escalate dramatically.
Opposition
Crump intensifies his attacks, possessing team members and turning the mansion against them. Ben's grief and guilt resurface as Crump manipulates his pain. The team fractures under pressure. Crump gets closer to capturing Travis, and their efforts to stop him repeatedly fail.
Collapse
Crump captures Travis and begins the ritual to take his soul as the 1,000th. Ben confronts a vision of Alyssa that's actually Crump's manipulation, forcing Ben to face his deepest pain. The team is scattered and seemingly defeated. Ben hits rock bottom, consumed by grief and failure.
Crisis
In his darkest moment, Ben processes his grief. He realizes Alyssa would want him to live, to connect, to help others. He understands that running from pain only gave it power - he must face it to transcend it.
Act III
ResolutionSecond Threshold
Ben realizes Crump's weakness: the hat that contains his power. He rallies the team with newfound purpose, combining his scientific knowledge with the supernatural. He accepts his grief while choosing to live fully - synthesizing his past self with his growth.
Synthesis
The team executes a plan to destroy Crump's hat and free the trapped souls. Ben confronts Crump directly, using both his intelligence and his emotional growth. They free Madame Leota, banish Crump to the underworld, and save Travis. The mansion's ghosts are finally freed.
Transformation
Ben, now healed, returns to giving passionate ghost tours - but with genuine connection to others. He has a blossoming relationship with Gabbie and a bond with Travis. The final image mirrors the opening, but Ben is transformed: no longer running from grief, but living fully while honoring Alyssa's memory.