Haunted Mansion Premiere Alters Red Carpet Tradition Amid Industry Strikes
At the Haunted Mansion premiere, Disney Studio shifted away from the traditional red carpet moment for the film’s stars. Instead, the focus turned to Disneyland’s famous characters who posed for photographers. The gathering featured familiar icons such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse along with other beloved figures from the Disney universe, creating a playful, public-facing spectacle that highlighted the film in a different light.
Project director Justin Simien spoke with mixed feelings about the pivot. He praised the ensemble cast and the writer Kathy Dippold, yet acknowledged the absence of the film’s cast on the carpet. Simien indicated his respect for the decision while expressing personal disappointment that certain cast members could not participate in the public conversation about the animated project.
Initially, a notable roster of performers was slated to appear on the carpet, including Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dan Levy, Rosario Dawson, and others. Their plans were curtailed by the onset of a actors strike that began to shape the industry’s event calendar. The dates announced for the events around mid-July were affected, with organizers adjusting plans in response to the evolving situation.
As the situation unfolded, several studios opted to cancel planned red-carpet appearances linked to major releases. A notable example was the decision not to host the New York premiere of the film Oppenheimer, which stars Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, Remi Malek, and Emily Blunt. The cancellations followed the announcement from the SAG-AFTRA union about the strike action, signaling a broader shift in how premieres would be conducted during this period.
The strike itself arose from disagreements between SAG-AFTRA and producers over a new three-year contract. The core issues centered on wages and working conditions in the context of an industry increasingly influenced by streaming services and evolving distribution models. The labor action prompted studios to reconsider schedules, appearances, and the formats of public engagements tied to upcoming releases.
In related industry news, earlier reports noted additional event disruptions, including cancellations in other media programs as a result of the same labor actions. These developments illustrate how the strike is affecting production, promotion, and the broader ecosystem of entertainment programming during this period.