Ah. So that's why scaredy cat Guillermo del Toro walked away from The Hobbit. It turns out the grass was a little greener over at Disney's gaffe as the Hellboy hotshot has been snapped up by the House Of Mouse to direct a live-action adaptation of their Haunted Mansion. Based on their famed theme park ride, a la Pirates Of The Caribbean, Haunted Mansion is being squarely aimed at a more mature audience with del Toro adamant that his take will put the willies up all and sundry.

Disney made the announcement soon after their Tron: Legacy panel wrapped at the San Diego Comic Con (read; Mecca For Nerds) with del Toro putting in an impromptu cameo appearance. It turns out that the fuzzy-faced Spaniard has been making frequent pilgrimages to the Haunted Mansion ride ever since it opened in 1969. "This, for me, is one of the few Holy Grails in life, because to me the Haunted Mansion is the most precious real estate on Earth," del Toro told the audience. The director promised that his Haunted Mansion will stay "true to the spirit and art and aesthetic of the original imaginers that created the Mansion." He said it will be scary and fun at the same time, "but the scary will be scary"...so thankfully nothing like the Eddie Murphy-starring vehicle of 2003!

"We are not returning Eddie Murphy's calls. We are not making it a comedy," del Toro added with no small amount of glee. The story will revolve around the character of the Hatbox Ghost, as seen in the attic portion of the ride. A new mythology cantered on the mansion as the most haunted place in the world, will revolve around this pivotal character.