Key Takeaways
- Brendan Fraser’s Return: Brendan Fraser expressed eagerness to reprise his role in The Mummy 4, stating he has waited 20 years for this opportunity.
- Franchise History: The original Mummy film debuted in 1999, followed by two sequels, with the third film receiving negative reviews.
- Directors Announced: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett will direct The Mummy 4, with a script by David Coggeshall.
- Reboot Attempt: After the third film, Universal attempted a reboot with Tom Cruise, which did not succeed as planned.
Several weeks ago, it was shockingly revealed that Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz were in talks to return for The Mummy 4. In a recent interview with the Associated Press, Fraser said that after 17 years, he’s more than ready to come back as “The one I wanted to make was never made.“
The first film in the Mummy franchise was released in 1999 and was quickly followed by a sequel, The Mummy Returns, in 2001. Unfortunately, the third film, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, received scathing reviews upon its release in 2008 and had the lowest box office take of the series.
“The third one was a model of … how can I say this to the AP reporter? NBC had the rights to broadcast the Olympics that year,” Fraser said. “So they put two together and we went to China. Working in Shanghai, an incredible experience. I’m proud of the third one because I think it’s a good standalone movie. We picked up and did what we do with a different crew on deck and gave it our best shot. But the one I wanted to make is forthcoming. And I’ve been waiting 20 years for this call. Sometimes it was loud, sometimes it was a faint telegraph. Now? It’s time to give the fans what they want.“
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Ready or Not) are set to direct The Mummy 4 from a script by David Coggeshall (The Family Plan).
After Tomb of the Dragon Emperor brought the franchise to an end, Universal decided to reboot the series with a new film starring Tom Cruise. It was meant to launch the Dark Universe, a cinematic monster franchise that would eventually combine all the classic monsters. As we know, it crashed and burned almost immediately. When asked earlier this year what his version of The Mummy had over the reboot, Fraser said, “I know Tom Cruise tried to make his movie and it ain’t easy! We all know how hard this movie is to make. With the exception of three [The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor], the thing with all of these films is that, at least it was fun, it was a thrill ride, and you wanted to do it again.“
It remains to be seen whether any of the other Mummy cast members will return alongside Fraser and Weisz, but I really hope they bring back Oded Fehr as Ardeth Bay. As a young teenager, he was just about the coolest character I’d ever seen. I loved his fights with Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje in the sequel. Which characters do you hope come back for more?
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