The Hatbox Ghost

The Hatbox Ghost is a character from The Haunted Mansion that was removed from the attraction shortly after it opened. Despite this, he has appeared in various media related to the attraction.

History
The Hatbox Ghost was designed as the primary gimmick of the Attic scene. A trick lighting effect would make it appear that his head would disappear off his shoulders and reappear in his hatbox, timed to the beat of the Bride's heart. However, the effect did not work as planned and the character was removed very early in the attraction's run.

The Haunted Mansion
The Hatbox Ghost appeared in the Attic scene in the first few days of the attraction's run before being removed. However, he has long been rumored to be returning now that the technology is available to make the effect work. However, budget constraints and the upcoming film may be contributing factors to the delay in his reinstatement

The Haunted Mansion (comic book)
The Hatbox Ghost plays a part in the Mystery of the Manse storyline. He was once Randall Pace, a gunrunner that was the captain of a ship William Gracey worked on. After discovering what they were shipping, Gracey decapitated Pace and became a pirate. When Gracey eventually settled down outside New Orleans, a scorned Madame Leota would call upon the spirit of Pace and the rest of Gracey's long dead crew and the Hatbox Ghost would play a part in the death of the bride. He also makes minor appearances in other stories of the comic.

The Haunted Mansion (upcoming film)
The Hatbox Ghost is planned to be the pivotal character of the film, described by Guillermo del Toro as the "spider in the center of the web" of a whole network of Haunted Mansions located around the world.

Other appearances
The Hatbox Ghost appeared in the Song and Story of the Haunted Mansion read-along book, which was published when the ride opened, hence his inclusion in the book's attic scene.

As the Hatbox Ghost's cult following grew, Disney recognized his popularity in various merchandise and media and utilized him in a Haunted Holidays online campaign as the host, with Corey Burton providing his voice using the same voice as the Ghost Host.

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