 Director Robert Wise read a review of Shirley Jacksons novel "The  Haunting of Hill House" in Time Magazine and decided to get the  rights to the novel. He later met the writer herself to talk about  ideas for the film. He asked her if she had thought of other titles  for the novel, because the title would not work for the film. She  told him that the only other title she had considered was simply  "The Haunting", so Wise decided to use it for the film.