Summary
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is one of the most popular rides at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, so much so that the company cloned it in many of its other parks. That’s why fans were excited when it was revealed back in 2021 that a new movie based on the attraction was going to be created.
Given the popularity of theDisneyride and its connection to the Twilight Zone, there seemed to be a lot of potential for this. However, outside of Scarlett Johansson teasing the screenplay in 2023, things have been quiet. That was until her most recent comments, which haven’t painted a positive picture for the project.
Scarlett Johansson Admits That The Walt Disney World Ride Isn’t Easy To Adapt
It Isn’t A Positive Update For The Tower Of Terror Movie
Johansson will be the producer of theTower of Terroradaptation, while also starring in the film, instantly attaching some serious star power to the project. However, theJurassic World Rebirthactress being heavily involved in adapting this theme park attraction into a movie doesn’t guarantee its success, or that it will be made in the first place. The ride itself is one of the most eerie in the Disney theme parks, and considering they’re typically family-friendly environments, the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror instantly stands out. However, when speaking toEntertainment Weekly, Johansson admitted that there are difficulties in turning it into a movie at the moment.
“It’s a hard nut to crack. Harder than you think, because the ride itself, there’s some lore to it, but it’s… I don’t want to say thin, but it is, kind of! That’s part of the mystery of the ride. It’s been a fun project to work on, because it’s a blue sky project. It has also proved to be a hard nut to crack. But, we’ll crack the case of it. It’s taking shape!”
Johansson’s comments have proved that the project is still alive and actively being worked on, which people will be pleased to hear. There have been many delays on this movie due to Johansson’s lawsuit against Disney over thepremiere ideas forBlack Widow, while the Hollywood writers' strikes also set things back. However, even though theTower of Terroradaptation is still moving forward, the lack of confidence in turning it into a story worth telling is worrying.
Adapting Disney Theme Park Rides For Movies Has Produced Mixed Success In The Past
There Will Be Fears That The Tower Of Terror Film Could Flop
The plannedTower of Terrormovie isn’t going to be the first Disney attraction to be adapted into a live-action film,with the iconicPirates of the Caribbeanfranchise initially being based on the classic theme park boat ride. It was the original 2003 movie that was inspired the most by the ride, but there have been five movies witha sixth one potentially being in the works. ThePirates of the Caribbeanfranchise has earned a staggering $4.5 billion at the worldwide box office, which is precisely why the idea of adapting a Disney ride is so appealing. When it’s done right, it can provide huge success, but that’s not always the case. Haunted Mansion is another popular attraction that has been turned into a movie, with two live-action films based on this dark ride.The 2003 original managed to break even on a $90 million budget, as the film grossed $182 million. However, it wasn’t considered a success, and the film is far from a classic. Still, it performed better than the 2023 adaptation, which was a box office flop.Haunted Mansiononly grossed $117 million against a $150 million budget, proving to be a disaster for Disney.
Both of the rides that have previously been adapted have tons of lore and details that were able to be pulled into the movies, with notable nods to them throughout. This made thetransition from ride to the big screenmuch simpler and more believable, with the story preexisting in some aspects, with only a little adaptation required. However, since Tower of Terror doesn’t even have that, it could be a worrying sign that the film will flop, as the concerns already exist.
The Tower Of Terror Project Might Be Best Left Behind
Forcing An Idea With Limited Possibilities Will Prove To Be Problematic
Ultimately, the best course of action for the plannedTower of Terrormovie might be to not make it, or at least shelve it for a few years and come back to it with fresh ideas. The fact that Johansson publicly admits that they’re struggling to crack the lore of the project isn’t a positive sign of what the story might look like, and comments like this will cause even the biggest advocates for the film to lose faith. At the same time, it might seem like a good idea on paper due tohow atmospheric the attraction isfor guests, turning that into a feature-length movie isn’t a simple thing to do, as Johansson has realized. There is nothing worse than a film being forced through simply because people have been attached to projects, as it never leads to a high-quality product. While there might be a legion ofTower of Terrorfans awaiting this project, the reality is that if it’s not going to work, it would be better being dropped, rather than driven forward for the sake of it.
