Disney characters replace cast at 'Haunted Mansion' premiere during SAG-AFTRA strike

Disney's Haunted Mansion premiere at Disneyland proceeded as planned on Saturday, despite the recent SAG-AFTRA strike vote. However, instead of the usual interviews with the cast on the red carpet, Disneyland characters, including Cruella de Vil, Maleficent, Mickey Mouse, and Minnie Mouse, greeted the press as "guests" during the event.

The film's debut was confirmed to happen regardless of the strike outcome. The stacked cast, featuring LaKeith Stanfield, Tiffany Haddish, Danny DeVito, Rosario Dawson, Chase W. Dillon, Daniel Levy, Jamie Lee Curtis, Hasan Minhaj, Marilu Henner, and Lindsay Lamb, did not attend the premiere in solidarity with the strike, resulting in no interviews with the cast or director Justin Simien. 

Haunted Mansion follows a mother-son duo, played by Dawson and newcomer Chase Dillion, who get more than they bargained for when they move into a surprisingly affordable mansion. Soon they enlist a group of “so-called spiritual experts” to help rid the house of “supernatural squatters”.

While Simien expressed sadness about the cast's absence, he understood the reasons behind it. Haunted Mansion, inspired by the renowned theme park ride, is set to release in theaters on July 28.