Are the reports that Brendan Fraser, fresh off his Oscar win, would return for The Mummy 4 in 2025 genuine?
The Mummy 4 Release Date
On social media, rumors have been circulating that Rachel Weisz and Brendan Fraser may reprise their roles from
their parts as Evelyn Carnahan and Rick O’Connell in The Mummy 4.
Accompanying the report was what appeared to be a promotional poster for the upcoming 2025 Universal edition of The Mummy: Fountain of the Persian Knights.
A “gripping tale of family, danger, and the unyielding pursuit of hope:” was touted in the fictitious logline as a story about Rick O’Connell (Fraser) searching for his kid who went missing.
“Three years after their son went missing and presumed lost on a perilous quest for the legendary fountain, a glimmer of hope emerges. Rick discovers that their son may be alive, held captive by malevolent forces. Join Universal Pictures in 2025 for a gripping tale of family, danger, and the unyielding pursuit of hope.”
Released in 1999, 2008, and 2017, the first three films in The Mummy franchise were eventually shelved in favor of a reboot starring Tom Cruise.
The Mummy franchise is currently at a standstill, as there are no plans to produce a fourth film in the series.
What The Mummy 4 Was Never Meant to Be?
Formerly, the company was considering a fourth Mummy film, “The Mummy: Rise of the Aztec,” which would have transported Brendan Fraser’s Rick O’Connell to South America.
The original plan for the sequel called for John Hannah to return, with Rob Cohen directing and Antonio Banderas taking on the role of the lead antagonist. The ideas for a future Mummy installment, which Maria Bello had expressed confidence about—she played Evelyn Carnahan O’Connell—finally fell through.
Will The Mummy 4 Ever Happen?
Returning cast members John Hannah, Brendan Fraser, Rob Cohen, and Antonio Banderas would have traveled to South America for what was originally intended to be a fourth Mummy film titled The Mummy: Rise of the Aztec. Rob Cohen would have served as director.
In an interview with MTV, Rick’s wife Evelyn Carnahan O’Connell’s actress Maria Bello said that “[there will] absolutely be The Mummy 4,” but she couldn’t say when production would begin. However, that was never to happen:
“I don’t know when, but it’s going. [There will] absolutely be The Mummy 4,” said Bello.
The news broke on Bloody Disgusting that Luke Ford, the actor behind Rick O’Connell, had signed a three-picture deal, leading many to believe that Universal was preparing him to take over the franchise. It appears that the company had intended for Ford to have a significant role in both the fourth and fifth films.
The Mummy 4 was in the works for a release in 2010 or 2011, and the production of a screenplay had already begun. Rather, with the rise of the MCU and the cinematic universe trend in Hollywood, Universal started to plot out the Dark Universe and a Mummy revival.
Launching the Dark Universe, a common world of rebooted monster pictures, was supposed to be 2017’s The Mummy, according to Universal. Unfortunately, those ideas were canceled and the Dark Universe was left dead on arrival after the film was a critical and financial catastrophe, losing the studio roughly $95 million.
Is it possible that the studio may bring back the classic Mummy series at some point? Since Brendan Fraser told Deadline in January to “sign [him] up” to the prospect, it’s safe to say that he’s on board with the idea. Fraser is interested in work in general:
“It’s kind of an open-ended question for some time now. I’m not opposed to it, I don’t know an actor who doesn’t want a job. I don’t think I’ve been this famous and unsalaried at the same time in my professional life so sign me up!”
Also, last year he admitted to Variety that he “[doesn’t] know how it would work,” but he was “open” to returning to the role that catapulted him to Hollywood stardom provided “someone came up with the right conceit.”
Following Brendan Fraser’s Best Actor award for The Whale, the cancellation of Batgirl (where he would have portrayed the villain Firefly), and, most recently, Killers of the Flower Moon, there has never been an increase in the desire for Brendan Fraser projects. So, maybe now is the perfect opportunity for Universal to cast him again in one of his most famous roles.
No such thing is in the works at this time, and following their botched Dark Universe relaunch, Universal is understandably wary of bringing The Mummy back in any shape or form. Top Gun and Blade Runner are two examples of films that are several decades old that have lately received sequels, so anything is possible in this day and age.
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