Which 2001 horror parody film spoofs various horror tropes and films, including 'The Haunting' and 'Hannibal,' and features a group of characters trying to survive a haunted house orchestrated by a mad professor?

The 2001 horror parody that famously lampooned various genre conventions and specific films is a memorable entry in its comedic franchise. This film gathers a group of young characters, many of whom are survivors from the previous installment, and places them in a sprawling, supposedly haunted mansion known as Hell House. The premise involves a sinister Professor Oldman and his assistant, Dwight Hartman, who trick the students into participating in a sleep study, secretly intending to study the house's paranormal activity. The narrative structure largely spoofs the 1999 film 'The Haunting', with its gothic aesthetics and the idea of a group being brought to a haunted location for scientific purposes.

Beyond its central parody of 'The Haunting', the film also takes aim at a wide array of other horror movies and tropes. Its opening sequence, for instance, is a direct and exaggerated spoof of 'The Exorcist', complete with projectile vomiting and a comically botched exorcism. Other notable targets include 'Hannibal', with a scene mimicking the infamous brain-eating sequence, and various haunted house classics like Poltergeist (Review), 'The Amityville Horror', and 'The Legend of Hell House'. The film's humor often comes from its over-the-top recreations of iconic horror moments, pushing them to absurd and gross-out extremes.

Released as the second installment in a popular parody series, this movie broadened its comedic scope from the slasher films predominantly featured in its predecessor to encompass supernatural (Review) and haunted house genres. Directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans, it brought back key cast members like Anna Faris as Cindy Campbell and Regina Hall as Brenda Meeks, who continued their roles as unwitting participants in chaotic horror scenarios. Despite receiving largely negative critical reviews upon its release, it proved to be a financial success, grossing over $140 million worldwide against a $45 million budget, and has since developed a cult following among fans of the franchise.