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THE MUMMY Franchise Rises From The Dead For New Brendan Fraser & Rachel Weisz Movie

If, like us, you’ve spent the better part of the last decade begging for yet another film in Universal’s iconic The Mummy franchise, you’re in luck: it’s being reported that the studio is developing another sequel to the 1999 film that relaunched a global Egyptology craze and forever cemented Brendan Fraser in our hearts as the world’s greatest action hero. 

Reportedly, Fraser and Rachel Weisz, who led the first two films in the franchise, are in talks to return for the as-yet-untitled sequel, with Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett — better known as Radio Silence — set to direct the film. No details on the film’s plot are available yet, but original producer Sean Daniel is back to produce, alongside William Sherak, James Vanderbilt, and Paul Neinstein, with David Coggeshall writing the screenplaying. 

According to The Hollywood Reporter, sources say that the new film is not a reboot, but rather a direct sequel to 2001’s The Mummy Returns, which would completely ignore the events of The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, which not only pulled the franchise away from Ancient Egypt but also replaced Weisz with Maria Bello, a decision which, to quote The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, “has made a lot of people angry, and been widely regarded as a bad move.” No details are available on whether any other original cast members will return.

Released at the turn of the century to rave reviews and a cult-level devotion from fans, The Mummy served as an action-adventure remake of Universal’s 1932 film starring Boris Karloff, also starring Arnold Vosloo, John Hannah, and Oded Fehr and grossing nearly $500 million globally. Its success spawned two sequels as well as a spinoff — The Scorpion King, starring Dwayne Johnson — and inspired the popular Revenge of the Mummy ride, which fans can still experience at Universal Studios.