The Dark Universe may have stalled, but The Mummy saga endures — and it appears Universal is developing a new installment that continues the story begun with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz’s original pair of films rather than rebooting the franchise.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Radio Silence’s Matt Bettinelli‑Olpin and Tyler Gillett — the duo behind Ready or Not and the recent Scream entries — are set to direct. THR’s reporting indicates the project is conceived as a direct sequel that will ignore the third entry, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (which starred Brendan Fraser alongside Maria Bello, Jet Li, and Luke Ford as Rick and Evelyn’s son). Sean Daniel, who produced the originals with the late James Jacks, is attached to produce.
Stephen Sommers’ 1999 The Mummy revitalized Universal’s monster catalog with a pulpy, Indiana Jones–inflected take on the material. Set in the 1920s, it paired Fraser’s swashbuckling Rick O’Connell with Rachel Weisz’s resourceful Evelyn and mixed action, humor, romance, and horror — launching a lucrative franchise that went on to two sequels, a prequel (The Scorpion King), an animated series, and a popular theme‑park attraction.
The original film grossed more than $422 million worldwide and turned Fraser into a genuine leading man. Its success spawned multiple follow‑ups across media — though the franchise’s momentum has waxed and waned over the years.
Conversations about this new sequel reportedly began after Fraser’s career resurgence following his acclaimed performance in Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale (2022). Rachel Weisz, meanwhile, has remained in high profile roles, including a turn in Marvel’s Black Widow as Melina Vostokoff.
Universal’s 2017 reboot, which starred Tom Cruise, was largely derided by critics; our review highlighted its thin narrative and forgettable execution. The film still earned just over $400 million globally, but fell short of the studio’s expectations. With this latest effort, Universal seems poised to lean on the franchise’s established characters and fanbase in hopes of recapturing the grounded adventure and charm that made the earlier entries enduringly popular.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter, Polygon review.
Source: Polygon
