(Image Source: Universal Pictures)
Back in late September, renowned entertainment journalist Daniel Richtman first broke the news on his Patreon page that Universal Pictures was in talks with Brendan Fraser to reprise his role for a fourth "The Mummy" film. Now, just over a month later, Universal has officially confirmed the news.
Universal confirmed that not only have they brought back Fraser, but also original female lead Rachel Weisz to co-star in the fourth installment. The studio has tapped Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the directing duo behind "Scream" (2022) and "Scream VI," to helm the project.
(Image Source: Universal Pictures)
Weisz's return not only means that Maria Bello, who replaced her in the third film, will not appear, but Universal also plans for the fourth film's plot to disregard the third installment, connecting only with the first two movies. The screenplay is being penned by David Coggeshall, co-writer of the "Scream" TV series.
Furthermore, the revival of the Fraser-led series means that the fourth cinematic iteration of "The Mummy," which wrapped filming in late June and was written and directed by "Evil Dead Rise" filmmaker Lee Cronin, will now be released alongside the Fraser version. However, Richtman recently revealed that this fourth version has been retitled "The Resurrected," moving away from the traditional "The Mummy" title. This change is likely intended to differentiate it from the Fraser-led film, which truly embodies the concept of "resurrection."
(Image Source: Universal Pictures)
While the Fraser-led fourth installment does not yet have a release date, "The Resurrected" is slated to hit North American theaters first, on April 17 next year. The film is produced by Blumhouse Productions and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, and stars Irish actor Jack Reynor (pictured above). "The Resurrected" aims to recapture the horror style of the original 1932 film. Unlike the high-budget adventure blockbusters of the Fraser and Tom Cruise versions, this iteration will have a significantly lower production cost.
Richtman also recently shared the full plot synopsis for "The Resurrected": A father's daughter mysteriously returns after eight years missing, only for him to discover that an ancient Egyptian mummy's soul resides within her. As this malevolent mummy spirit spreads to his other child, he must perform a deadly ritual to save them, even if it means transforming into a monster himself.