Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are reportedly in negotiations with Universal to headline a new installment of The Mummy franchise, with the creative team behind Scream (2022), Radio Silence, tapped to produce and direct the potential project.
A Franchise Revival in the Making
According to a report from The Hollywood Reporter on November 4, the studio is actively pursuing the return of the original stars who launched the 1999 blockbuster hit. The project is set to be spearheaded by filmmakers Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the duo known as Radio Silence, who garnered significant acclaim for their work on Ready or Not and their successful revitalization of the Scream series. Sean Daniel, a producer on the original Mummy trilogy, is also attached to the production.
Ignoring the Past: A New Direction
While specific plot details remain under wraps, internal sources suggest that the upcoming film will not be a reboot. Instead, the project is being developed as a direct sequel that may intentionally “disregard” the events of the 2008 third installment, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. That film was frequently criticized for shifting the setting to China and replacing Rachel Weisz, a move that alienated many long-time fans. Screenwriter David Coggeshall has reportedly been tapped to pen the script for this new chapter.
Learning from Past Missteps
The original 1999 The Mummy remains a cornerstone of action-adventure cinema, followed by a highly successful sequel in 2001. Although the franchise lost momentum with its third entry, it still managed to pull in over $400 million globally. Universal’s previous attempt to reinvent the property in 2017—a reboot starring Tom Cruise intended to launch a “Dark Universe”—struggled to find an audience and failed to gain critical traction. By pivoting back to the chemistry of Fraser and Weisz, Universal appears to be betting on the nostalgia and star power that made the original films a cultural phenomenon.
