10 Horror Movies That Were Cancelled Because Of Other Movies
3. The Dark Universe Got Cancelled Because Tom Cruise's The Mummy Reboot Bombed
Due to the runaway success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was only a matter of time before other studios got in on the action.
Universal Pictures had been developing a Mummy reboot since 2012, but plans shifted when Alex Kurtzman took the reins. Rather than creating a one-and-done, Kurtzman's Mummy would kickstart a shared universe, incorporating a multitude of horror icons, like the Wolf Man, Dracula, Phantom of the Opera, and Quasimodo.
Universal was so confident in this Dark Universe that multiple features were lined up, including The Bride of Frankenstein, with Angelina Jolie as the eponymous character and Javier Bardem as The Creature. Johnny Depp was also set to star as the lead in an Invisible Man adaptation. After pouring significant time and money into this deal, everything hinged on The Mummy succeeding.
It did not.
Despite starring A-listers like Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe, the first and only entry in the Dark Universe flopped, due to its tonal inconsistency, messy plot, and weak characterisation. Rather than organically building a shared world, The Mummy awkwardly halts the story to force in-universe setup and teasers for the future (which ultimately amounted to nothing).
Rather than launching the Dark Universe, The Mummy buried it.