It’s been a rough few months for Universal’s Dark Universe franchise. The Mummy, planned as a tentpole release and the beginning of a whole shared universe saga, disappointed at the box office and was reviled by critics. Then, Bill Condon’s Bride Of Frankenstein, which was in pre-production with Angelina Jolie being heavily rumoured for the
the mummy
Leading the pack of Universal’s new Dark Universe (complete with Marvel-style logo) is Alex Kurtzman’s modern-day reboot of The Mummy, which finds itself caught between tones and failing to juggle the responsibilities of being a shared universe starter, a new take on a classic property, and a big Tom Cruise action movie. Soldiers Nick Morton (Cruise)
You can’t keep a Universal monster down. Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, The Wolf Man, The Invisible Man, The Creature From The Black Lagoon…all these iconic creations are being exhumed for a new generation, so it seems rather fitting that this new shared universe begins with our action-man hero raiding an ancient tomb: it all starts with
While the idea of uncovering the Mummy in modern day seems like an easy enough leap (misbehaving soldiers looking to make a buck on the black market fit into any era), a film like Universal’s The Mummy needs to make damn sure that it’s got a great monster if it’s going to convince. Luckily for director Alex