Origins: The Hat-Box Ghost From ‘Haunted Mansion’
From Hugh
On July 28th, Haunted Mansion slithers into theaters 20 years after the initial adaptation of the famous Disneyland ride. This new adaptation promises to be more faithful to the source material by not only capturing the ghoulish charm of the ride but also include many of the ghosts from it including the most popular and prominent of them all, the Hatbox Ghost. But who is the Hatbox Ghost? What is the story behind this terrifying figure that lurks the halls of the mansion? Find out more below!
Disneyland Origin
The Hatbox Ghost is the most infamous animatronic spectre among the 999 ghosts of the Haunted Mansion ride. He is a mischievous and creepy ghost that haunts the mansion, and is heavily tied to its history. He is one of the most popular Haunted Mansion characters, mostly due to his disappearance from the ride from the attraction's opening in 1969 to 2015, where he was added back as part of Disneyland’s 60th anniversary celebration. Even though he does not speak a single word in the attraction, his evil chuckles were provided by Corey Burton making him an unsettling presence in the ride. The Hatbox Ghost was introduced to the attraction when it first opened in 1969. He appeared in the attic along with the original Bride ghost where every time her heart beat, his head would disappear from his neck and reappear in the hatbox he held. The Hatbox Ghost was also included in much of the merchandise at the time, including the collectable record/book The Story and Song from the Haunted Mansion. Originally, the Bride in the attic next to him was intended to be his, with the story being that she beheaded him for unknown reasons and hid the head in a hatbox, later doing the same to other men. However, due to the ambient lighting in the attic, the effect of the Hatbox Ghost's head disappearing did not work, as both heads could be seen at all times. Disney Imagineers worked for months to find a solution, but one never presented itself. Only a few months after the attraction opened, the Hatbox Ghost was removed from the attraction, with the animatronic being sent to an unknown location. After his removal from the attraction, stories circulated of his mystery and legacy, including a rumor that stated he was removed for being too gruesome. However, the character developed a large following as one of the attraction's most popular characters, despite not being a part of the attraction. The character began appearing in Haunted Mansion merchandise and comics again in 2005, and an audio-animatronic Hatbox Ghost mockup was revealed at D23 on August 8, 2013. On May 9, 2015, the Hatbox Ghost was officially re-added to the Haunted Mansion with updated video projection technology to create the effect that failed 46 years earlier. At the 2022 D23 expo, it was revealed that the Hatbox Ghost would also be added to the version of the ride at Magic Kingdom in Florida sometime in 2023 as part of the company’s 100th anniversary celebration.
Comic Origin
When the Hatbox Ghost was first conceived in 1969 he actually had no real backstory made for him until much later. The Hatbox Ghost's backstory was revealed in The Haunted Mansion comic series by Slave Labor Graphis, which ran for seven issues from 2006 to 2007. The Hatbox Ghost was revealed to be a pirate gunrunner named Randall Pace. He was a part of a pirate crew that included William Gracey. One day, Gracey performed mutiny against the captain and any loyal crew, including Pace, who Gracey decapitated with a hatchet. Gracey took up the alias of Captain Blood and terrorized the seas, though leading many of his crew to their deaths. Pace and the rest of the deceased crew existed as wandering ghosts. When Gracey retired and moved into his mansion with his fiancée, Emily de Claire, Pace and the other ghosts began haunting them. Gracey hired Madame Leota to get rid of the spirits. However, after Leota fell in love with Gracey but was turned down, she became vengeful and contacted the spirits in the house. Pace and the others told her of Gracey's crimes, and together they conspired for revenge. Leota lied and told Gracey she cleaned the mansion. On Gracey and de Claire's wedding night, Madame Leota summoned Pace and the other ghosts again. The ghosts approached Emily and proceeded to scare her to death. This resulted in Gracey killing Leota and then himself, subsequently leading to the ghosts haunting the mansion. After killing Emily, Pace leaves the mansion (reflecting his removal from the ride and his connection to the Bride).
What to expect?
The Hatbox Ghost is set to make his official live action debut in the new 2023 film and will be voiced by Jared Leto. His exact role in the film has been largely kept under wraps but it can be assumed that he might be the main villain of the film based on the character’s backstory and connection to the mansion from the comic series. The adaptation may either take inspiration from the comic series or may create a whole new backstory for the Hatbox Ghost that fits the narrative. One thing that is for certain is that the film has already nailed the creepy design of the character from the ride and he may indeed make for a terrifying presence in the film alongside some of the other ghosts that have been revealed. The only way to find out is to see the film when it hits theaters this Friday!
Haunted Mansion hits theaters on Friday, July 28th, 2023.
