10 Horror Movies That Were Cancelled Because Of Other Movies
6. Clive Barker's The Mummy Was Cancelled Because Of Brendan Fraser's The Mummy
Universal Pictures was desperate to revive The Mummy property during the 1990s. A string of major names were attached at various points, including Joe Dante, George A. Romero, and Wes Craven.
But following the success of Clive Barker's Hellraiser, the producers, James Jacks and Sean Daniel, believed he was the perfect fit. Mick Garris was brought in to develop a script that reimagined the titular character as a tragic figure who must consume human organs to stay alive. This version was "dark, sexual, and filled with mysticism," which was very much in line with Barker's style.
Sadly, the producers felt the concept was too challenging for mainstream audiences, causing them and Barker to part ways. Seeking broader appeal and commercial potential, Jacks and Daniel retooled The Mummy into an action blockbuster instead of a psychosexual reimagining.
It was a ballsy move, but it paid off massively. Stephen Sommers' swashbuckling action-comedy was a monstrous triumph, spawning multiple sequels and cementing star Brendan Fraser as a Hollywood leading man.
While Clive Barker's take on The Mummy remains an intriguing "what if", shelving it was probably the smarter decision.