'Haunted Mansion' brings backstory to iconic ride featuring ghosts and grief

NEW ORLEANS -- If you've ever ridden a Doom Buggy inside the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland or Walt Disney World and wondered, "What is this ride about?" - you're about to find out.

Disney's new live-action film based on the ride is set in New Orleans and creates a whole back story for the iconic attraction, with the city also very much a character in the movie.

The storyline centers on a single mom, played by Rosario Dawson, and her young son as they move to the Big Easy to start a new life.

But it turns out their new house is a real fixer-upper.

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If you've been to Disneyland or Walt Disney World, you've probably ridden a Doom Buggy inside the "Haunted Mansion." And now, those 999 happy haunts are coming to life in a live action film, in theaters July 28th.

"Turns out it's haunted," Dawson says. "She bought the haunted mansion, sight unseen, on Zillow. She ends up getting quite a crew of people to kind of help her with it."

Among them is LaKeith Stanfield, who plays a former paranormal investigator. He is very skeptical until he too is fighting to get out.

"The story helped us channel death in a way that we hope will land with audiences," Stanfield says. "We want them to feel like they're being seen or understood in their moments of grief."

The film is funny, but really digs into loss and what ghosts can truly represent.

SEE ALSO: On The Red Carpet previews 'Haunted Mansion' with cast interviews, special tour of Disney attraction

"Death is a hard thing to talk about," Dawson says. "This film asks a lot of questions and allows you to sort of work through it in an oddly funny way. It's seated in New Orleans and you know here, death is a part of life. There are a lot of different ways to process that and to engage with it. The film truly takes us all on that ride, from a range of emotions to real thrills and chills."

The interview with Dawson and Stanfield took place on June 30 in New Orleans before the SAG-AFTRA strike.

"Haunted Mansion" is in theaters nationwide on Friday, July 28.

Disney is the parent company of this ABC station.

A star-studded cast brings a classic Disney Parks attraction to life in the new movie "Haunted Mansion," opening only in theaters July 28.