Universal’s The Mummy was quite the hit for the studio back in the late nineties. At the time, no one really knew what to make of the film, but a great marketing campaign, combined with a reboot that succeeded in both updating the story for modern audiences, as well as paying homage to its forebears, helped the film thrive upon its release.
It also didn’t hurt that the final product oozed fun, in a very similar fashion to the Indiana Jones movies, and proved to be just what audiences wanted. Unfortunately, though, Universal tried to update the property again in 2017, hoping to spawn an entire interlinked cinematic universe, and the results weren’t pretty, as the film crashed and burned on arrival.
Starring Tom Cruise, it jettisoned essentially everything that made the 90s version special. It was no longer a fun romp with charming and likeable leads, but rather a droll action flick moving from set piece to set piece.
Though the franchise is back on the shelves after that disastrous turn, many fans still have great affection for the 1999 tale of Rick O’Connell battling a giant sand monster. In fact, the film’s lead, Brendan Fraser, was recently asked if he had any desire to return to the series, to which he responded:
“Absolutely! Working with Rachel, it’s Rachel f’in Weisz. She’s wonderful, you know, if you’re really impressed with talent and good humor. A belly laugh that could break a window. I mean, come on. It’s Rachel Weisz, she’s lovely. And believe everything. She got stuck with all the exposition in that show. Which is good, that means all the talking. I was just the guy like, ‘Hurry up, let’s go, come on! That thing is gonna go bang!’ It worked out.”
And while his eagerness is certainly nice, he was quick to elaborate further, stating:
“Just gotta say, I know how hard it is to make that movie. I tried to do it three times, and the essential ingredient is fun. You gotta remember to have fun. So if there’s a fun way to approach it again, I’m all in.”
While the chances of this ever coming to pass are slim, it’s nice to know that Fraser would show up if asked, so long as the spirit of the first film (and a certain cast member) came back as well. In any case, it’s arguably the most prominent role in his career and one that fans most respond to. As such, maybe The Mummy franchise will go for a fourth round sooner rather than later. For now, audiences can only hope.