27 Years Later, the Cast of 'The Mummy' Are Finally Returning for a Sequel
Death is only the beginning, and after more than a quarter-century, the story of The Mummy is continuing with both of the beloved action-adventure horror flick's stars returning. Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz will reprise their roles in an upcoming sequel to The Mummy which will now officially hit theaters on May 19, 2028.
It's the fourth film in Universal's Fraser-led Mummy franchise, which began in 1999 and continued in 2001 with The Mummy Returns, following Fraser's adventurer Rick O'Connell as he battled bandaged undead in 1920s Egypt. This next sequel marks a return for Weisz, though, as the actress opted not to reprise her role as Egyptologist Evelyn Carnahan in the third movie, 2008's The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. (Maria Bello played Evelyn in that.)
News broke back in November that the pair were in talks for a fourth Mummy movie, set to be directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett of Radio Silence, the filmmaking collective behind Ready or Not and the 2022 Scream legacy sequel. It was only on Tuesday, February 10, that Universal officially dated the as-yet untitled movie, per Deadline.
The original Mummy film was a massive success that kicked off a lucrative series, earning over $400 million globally. The film's two sequels also topped $400 million apiece, according to BoxOffice Mojo, although reviews grew increasingly negative, particularly for the third installment.
No details about the plot or the presence of any other returning actors—including Arnold Vosloo or John Hannah, who played the titular mummy, Imhotep, and Jonathan Carnahan, respectively—have been announced. Screenwriter David Coggeshall penned the script for the upcoming movie.
Brennan Fraser Says This Fourth Mummy Movie Is One He 'Waited 20 Years' to Make
While the plot of this next Mummy movie is under wraps (pun only partially intended), it seems like Fraser is excited about it. The actor, who sustained quite a few lingering injuries from his work making the first three Mummy movies, recently told The Associated Press that he'd been wanting to make this movie for a while — since before the third Mummy movie, actually.
"The one I wanted to make was never made," he told the AP, explaining that Tomb of the Dragon Emperor was made instead because the Beijing Olympics were also in 2008 and so The Mummy franchise went to China in a bit of corporate synergy. Fraser wasn't discounting Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, though.
"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," Fraser said. "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."
In just about two year's time, the fans—and Fraser—will get just that when the fourth Mummy movie hits theaters on May 19, 2028.