Last Thursday at Comic-Con, Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth) announced that he will co-write and produce–and may also direct–a movie based on Disney’s Haunted Mansion attraction. He also took pains to emphasize that it will have no relationship to that hideous Eddie Murphy thing.* And thank gawd for that.

It’s apparently going to be family-oriented but “scary.” Walt Disney Studios also unveiled a new piece of artwork for the movie (seen above, with a larger version at the Disney blog), which looks promising.

I’m assuming the story will be based on the whole “phantom bride” thing that’s hinted at in Disneyland’s version of the ride and fleshed out more fully in EuroDisney’s Phantom Manor. Given del Toro’s fantastical imagery in his other movies, this could really be pretty cool.

*I’m told his exact quote was, “We are not returning Eddie Murphy’s calls.” Hee.