The Mummy: 5 Key Things We Already Know
Digging up some of 2017's The Mummy's secrets.
Universal is bringing back the original shared cinematic universe in 2017. Starting with The Mummy, these horror icons will grace the silver screen once again. This new modern day retelling of the classic monster's tale will lead into other rebooted franchises, such as Frankenstein, Dracula, Van Helsing, and the Wolfman.
Universal has had numerous failed attempts to get a monster movie franchise off the ground in the past decade, with Dracula Untold being the most recent stumble in attempting to start a shared universe. But it looks like Universal has found their footing with Alex Kurtzman directing the resurrected Mummy.
Unlike some of the early Universal Monster movies, which wanted to have so much mystery some of the monsters were credited with simply a question mark, this version will star Tom Cruise in a military role. It also has Sofia Boutella, known for her roles in Kingsman: The Secret Service and Star Trek Beyond, as the Mummy.
With only the first trailer out, some of The Mummy's secrets have been unearthed. From referencing classic Universal monster movies to showing some of the new powers of the undead Egyptian goddess, there's a lot to unpack. Here's everything we know so far about The Mummy.
5. It's A Horror Film
Since The Mummy trailer came out, the director and cast have been saying the film will stay true to its roots as a horror movie. The trailer shows more action than it does horror, but of course there's plenty we haven't seen yet.
To audiences today, the slow pacing of 1932 Mummy doesn't translate into a scary film. Its brilliant makeup and haunting atmosphere make it an undisputed classic, but it isn't frightening compared to modern movies. But in the context of 1932, The Mummy horrified unsuspecting audiences.
The new film looks to bring updated visuals and scares that reflect modern film making. We can expect to see a mashup of horror and action beats within this film, including a fight between Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe.
However, the actors and cast are enthusiastic about the horror elements of the new film. Sofia Boutella, who plays the Mummy, says the the movie will be "excruciating terrifying" and director Alex Kurtzman says that "we owe the audience a monster movie."
With the last Mummy series focusing more on action that horror, it seems appropriate for this series to return to its roots.