The Mummy is undoubtedly one of Universal’s flagship properties. Alongside Frankenstein and Dracula, it helped put the studio on the map as one of Hollywood’s heavyweights.
Almost 70 years after it began, Universal again achieved enormous success with The Mummy IP, with a new incarnation starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. Grossing over $400 million, 1999’s The Mummy kicked off an enormously successful revitalized series, that also includes 2001’s The Mummy Returns and 2008’s The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.
However, many assumed the ship had sailed on this incarnation of The Mummy when a 2017 reboot starring Tom Cruise was announced. As is well documented, the film was a colossal failure, and plans for a Classic Monsters “Dark Universe” were scrapped.
Now, in news that comes as quite the surprise to everyone, it has been confirmed that a fourth Mummy instalment is in the works at Universal.
The news was confirmed by filmmaker Stephen Sommers, director of The Mummy and The Mummy Returns. Sommers further elaborated that the film will serve as a direct sequel to 2008’s Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, and that two beloved characters are set to return.
According to Sommers, actors Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are currently in negotiations to reprise their roles as protagonists Rick and Evelyn O’Connell. Fraser has previously starred in all three series entries, whereas Weisz opted not to return for Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.
In further exciting news, it has been confirmed that directing duo Radio Silence are aboard the project. Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have risen rapidly to become the cream of genre directors, with their recent work including 2022’s Scream, it’s 2023 sequel Scream VI, and 2024’s vampire tale Abigail.
Currently putting the finishing touches to their highly anticipated sequel Ready or Not: Here I Come, their involvement here shows the duo continues to go from strength to strength. The Mummy 4 is undoubtedly their biggest project yet, and it will be intriguing to witness how they handle a film of this magnitude.
Right about now, you’re probably thinking… “Hang on, wasn’t Lee Cronin directing a Mummy movie at Warner Bros.?” And, you’d be absolutely right, but we have a further update for you coming soon, so watch this space.
Can Fraser and Weisz still cut it as intrepid explorers 26 years after their debut? We’ll have to wait and see!
