One of Disney’s most iconic park rides is getting a movie
DisneyDisney is doing yet another big-screen theme park adaptation, with Space Mountain being the newest attraction to get a movie.
Joining the ranks of Pirates of the Caribbean and Jungle Cruise, Disneyland’s Space Mountain is getting the big screen treatment. The indoor roller coaster has been a staple of the parks since the original opened at Florida’s Walt Disney World Resort in 1975.
Now, it’ll be getting a cinematic turn at the hands of Josh Appelbaum and André Nemec, who are known for their work on Citadel and Cowboy Bebop. Previously, they’ve also worked on scripts for Mission: Impossible: Ghost Protocol, and two live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies.
Plot details are being kept under wraps for now, but it’s confirmed that the new movie will be based around the iconic ride. There are now five versions of Space Mountain across the international Disney Parks, making it one of the most enduring landmarks of the resorts. (In 2021, a survey ranked Space Mountain as the most popular ride among park-goers.)
This wouldn’t be the first time a Space Mountain movie has been in development. Max Landis once penned a script for a retro-futuristic film based on the attraction, which was sold to Disney in 2012. However, this project was eventually scrapped when Disney decided to turn focus to a little movie called Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
The history of attraction-based movies for Disney has been mixed. Pirates of the Caribbean is the most notable, with the franchise making just over $4.5 billion at the worldwide box office. Some, like Jungle Cruise, weren’t as successful, grossing just $221 million against a $200 million budget in 2021. Others, like 2023’s The Haunted Mansion reboot, were a box office failure, earning just $118 million against a $150 million budget.
So, the fate of Space Mountain’s movie hangs in the balance. But if the fans of the ride turn out to showcase their loyalty to the popular attraction, things could be looking very optimistic for Disney’s theme park treasure.
