As the summer blockbuster season continues, Walt Disney Pictures is shortly set to release is latest movie, the spooky fantasy-comedy, Haunted Mansion. The film – from director Justin Simien – is based on the iconic Disney theme park ride of the same name, and stars LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jared Leto, and Winona Ryder.
Haunted Mansion makes its debut in the US on Friday July 28th and arrives in the UK on Friday 11th August. Both release dates are well timed to catch the attention of family audiences, and especially well-timed to catch the attention of younger audience members during the summer holidays.
But is Haunted Mansion a family-friendly picture or is it a little too spooky for very young audiences? To put it more simply: What is the age rating of Haunted Mansion?
In the US, Haunted Mansion has been granted a ‘PG-13’ rating by the Motion Picture Association (MPA). This rating means the film contains some material which some parents may feel is inappropriate for pre-teenagers.
Anyone under the age of 13 can watch a ‘PG-13’ movie at the cinema in the US, but parents are strongly cautioned about the film. They may wish to check out the film before heading to the cinema, if they feel it is perhaps a little too mature for their children.
Meanwhile, in the UK, Haunted Mansion has been awarded a ’12A’ certificate. The film has been given this certificate because it contains ‘moderate horror’.
According to the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC), “humour tones down the horror, but some sequences and jump scares may be too scary for young children.”
In the UK, films with a ’12A’ certificate can be watched by anyone, but audience members under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. So, if you’re son or daughter is younger than 12, and they plan to watch Haunted Mansion by themselves or with a group of friends, they will require an adult to join them.
If you’re interested in watching Haunted Mansion, but you’re not entirely sure about the film’s suitability for your family, you may like to know that Disney previously released a more family-friendly version of Haunted Mansion back in 2003. This version of the film – from director Rob Minkoff – is called The Haunted Mansion, it stars Eddie Murphy, Terence Stamp and Jennifer Tilly, and carries a ‘PG’ rating in both the US and the UK.
The Haunted Mansion (the 2003 version) is widely available on DVD, Blu-ray, and digital. The movie is also available to stream on Disney+.
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