Haunted Mansion 2023 is a remake of Eddie Murphy's movie but takes a different narrative direction and is scarier than the original film. The new film's storyline revolves around a group of strangers with different backgrounds who are connected to the haunted mansion and work together to free the ghosts.

The primary differences between the 2003 and 2023 films lie in their tone, narrative focus, and fidelity to the Disney park attraction. The 2003 version, starring Eddie Murphy, is a traditional family comedy with a "Gothic romance" subplot, focusing on a real estate agent's family trapped in a mansion. It treats the ride more as a "sandbox" for new ideas, featuring humanized ghosts and a dramatic curse. In contrast, the 2023 version is a family-oriented adventure that leans much more heavily into the specific lore and aesthetics of the ride. It includes iconic characters like the Hatbox Ghost and scenes like the "Stretch Room" that were absent or only alluded to in the first film. While the 2003 film has moments of genuine Gothic horror (like a hell demon), the 2023 version focuses on the emotional journey of a grieving ensemble of "ghost hunters" and is considered by fans to be a more loyal adaptation of the "bones" of the actual Disneyland and Magic Kingdom attractions.