Rumors had been doing the rounds for some time that another Mummy movie was in the works, and we recently got word that Universal Pictures is indeed moving forward with a direct sequel, with original stars Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz set to return for a fourth instalment from Radio Silence's Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Scream, Abigail).
Now, THR has confirmed that John Hannah will also be back as the brother of Weisz's character, Jonathan Carnahan. Hannah appeared in all three movies along with Fraser, while Weisz only starred in the first two.
Despite getting mixed reviews at the time of its release, Stephen Sommers' 1999 movie proved to be a pretty big hit, and has remained a firm fan-favorite over the years.
Two direct sequels and a Scorpion King spin-off starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson weren't nearly as successful, and Universal's more recent reboot starring Tom Cruise bombed to such a degree that it closed the tomb on the studio's plans for a Dark Universe franchise after a single movie.
“The one I wanted to make was never made,” Fraser told The Associated Press (via FearHQ.com) last year. "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. 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.”
There is another Mummy movie on the way from Evil Dead Rise director Lee Cronin, but that will be a straight-up horror film.
Production on Radio Silence's The Mummy sequel is set to commence later this year in London and Morroco. The movie is set to hit theaters on May 19, 2028.
"The Mummy is a rousing, suspenseful and horrifying epic about an expedition of treasure-seeking explorers in the Sahara Desert in 1925. Stumbling upon an ancient tomb, the hunters unwittingly set loose a 3,000-year-old legacy of terror, which is embodied in the vengeful reincarnation of an Egyptian priest who had been sentenced to an eternity as one of the living dead."
Were you a fan of The Mummy? How do you feel about a direct sequel starring the three original leads? Drop us a comment down below.