Disney fans flummoxed by Haunted Mansion star Owen Wilson for peculiar – and unexpected – reason

Owen Wilson made a fun appearance at the Haunted Mansion attraction in California’s Disneyland (Picture: Disney)

Disney fans are starting to get excited for the release of Haunted Mansion next month, starring Owen Wilson, Jamie Lee Curtis, LaKeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson, Danny DeVito and Jared Leto.

It’s the second time the company has adapted one of its most iconic theme park attractions for the screen, following the 2003 film starring Eddie Murphy, which was critically panned but performed healthily at the box office.

This time around, single mum Gabbie (Dawson) hires a tour guide, a psychic, a priest and a historian to help exorcise her newly bought home after discovering it is inhabited by ghosts.

Amping up the hype for Haunted Mansion in fun videos shared to social media by the official Disney Parks account, Curtis, Wilson and Stanfield were unveiled as fully uniformed honorary cast members outside the ride in California’s Disneyland park.

The trio got to have fun working on the attraction and interacting with guests who were riding it in clips filmed in June before the Sag-Aftra actors’ strike was announced , as well as having a go at narrating some of the Haunted Mansion’s most iconic lines.

However, fans spotted a baffling tiny detail that caused them no end of upset with Wilson from the video – and that is that he didn’t pick Lightning McQueen as his favourite Disney character for on his Disney name badge.

The star appears in the new movie alongside Jamie Lee Curtis, Rosario Dawson, Danny DeVito and LaKeith Stanfield among others (Picture: Disney)

Loki and Marry Me star Wilson, 54, is known for voicing the red racing car in the popular Pixar film and TV franchise from 2006, and Disney employees are required to pick their favourite character for their badges.

‘The real question is, did Owen Wilson pick Lightning McQueen as his character on his name tag?’ asked one follower on Instagram, as another echoed: ‘Please tell me Owen had Lightning McQueen listed as his favourite character on his name tag.’

However, Wilson opted for Goofy instead, which seriously surprised plenty of fans.

Where was the love for his own Disney character?! (Picture: Instagram/Disney Parks)

‘Owen Wilson chose goofy for his name tag when he’s the real life lightning mcqueen?!?’ asked one baffled fan, with another agreeing in the comments that it was ‘unbelievable’.

‘But Goofy’s still cool so I forgive him 😂,’ reasoned another.

‘Owen didn’t pick Lightning McQueen for his name tag?! Total missed opportunity!,’ lamented a separate fan.

He is already beloved by Disney fans for his voice work in the Cars franchise as Lightning McQueen (Picture: Disney/Pixar)

‘I can’t believe lightning mcqueen as standing right there and you didn’t have him say “KA-CHOW” into the mini mic,’ joked another.

‘Owen is in the wrong park and dressed for the wrong ride… he needs to go into DCA where he belongs. 😂,’ tweeted one fan, referencing Cars-themed attraction Radiator Springs Racers in next door park Disney California Adventure.

Director Justin Simien walked the red carpet with Disney cast members and characters as the film’s writer and actors stayed away due to strikes (Picture: Getty)

On Sunday, Haunted Mansion became the first movie to hold a red-carpet premiere after actors joined writers on strike, meaning an event totally devoid of its stars and cast members.

Director Justin Simien did attend the premiere, where he was joined by current and past Haunted Mansion cast members, Disney Legends and even a few of the company’s characters.

Haunted Mansion will glide into UK cinemas on Friday, August 11.

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‘Total missed opportunity!’