The Haunting

The Haunting is a 1999 American supernatural horror film directed by Jan de Bont, and starring Liam Neeson, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Owen Wilson, and Lili Taylor, with Marian Seldes, Bruce Dern, Todd Field, and Virginia Madsen appearing in supporting roles. Based on the 1959 novel The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson, it is the second feature film adaptation of the source material after Robert Wise's 1963 film adaptation of the same name. Its plot follows a group of people who gather at Hill House, a manor in western Massachusetts for an apparent volunteer study on insomnia, only to find themselves plagued by paranormal events connected to the home's grim history. Development for The Haunting originally began as a collaboration between filmmaker Steven Spielberg and writer Stephen King, who together began writing a new adaptation of Jackson's novel, largely inspired by Wise's 1963 film version. After creative differences, the project was aborted, with King retooling his screenplay to form the 2002 miniseries Rose Red. Spielberg meanwhile commissioned a new screenplay for the project, written by David Self, to be produced under Spielberg's studio, DreamWorks Pictures. He stepped out as a director to direct Minority Report and only executive-produced the film, remaining uncredited. According to a 2020 interview with Jan de Bont, executive producer Steven Spielberg visited the set of The Haunting on several occasions during production, having previously developed the project before de Bont assumed directing duties. Filming of The Haunting began in the fall of 1998, with some location shoots occurring in England at Harlaxton Manor and Belvoir Castle, though the majority of the film was shot in specially crafted sets in Los Angeles by Argentine production designer Eugenio Zanetti. The Haunting had its world premiere at the Regency Village Theatre on July 20, 1999, before being theatrically released in North America on July 23, 1999. The film received mostly negative reviews from critics, with its screenplay and extensive use of special effects being points of criticism, though it did receive praise for its elaborate set design and performances. The film was a financial success, grossing $180.2 million worldwide against a production budget of $80 million.