Get ready to unwrap a cinematic treat, because Universal Pictures is resurrecting one of its most iconic franchises—and this time, it’s bringing back the original stars! According to multiple sources, Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are in talks to return for a new Mummy movie, presumably reprising their beloved roles from the late ’90s and early 2000s. But here’s where it gets exciting: Radio Silence, the filmmaking duo behind the Scream reboot, is set to direct. Could this be the revival fans have been dreaming of? Let’s dig in.
While Universal reps remain tight-lipped, insiders reveal that Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett of Radio Silence will helm the project, working from a script by David Coggeshall (The Family Plan, The Deliverance). Franchise veteran Sean Daniel is producing alongside William Sherak, James Vanderbilt, and Paul Neinstein of Project X Entertainment. This marks another collaboration between Radio Silence and Project X, fresh off their success with the Scream franchise—though, interestingly, Radio Silence won’t be directing Scream 7, which Project X is producing.
But here’s where it gets controversial: Can a new Mummy film recapture the magic of the original duo without feeling like a nostalgia cash grab? Fraser and Weisz’s chemistry in The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns (2001) was undeniable, with Fraser’s roguish Rick O’Connell and Weisz’s brilliant Evelyn Carnahan battling ancient curses and falling in love along the way. The films were massive hits, grossing over $400 million each and even inspiring theme park attractions in Hollywood, Orlando, and Singapore. And this is the part most people miss: Weisz’s character died in the second film, only to be revived—a plot point that could complicate her return. How will the new film address this? Or will it ignore it entirely?
The Mummy franchise has had its ups and downs. While the 2002 spinoff The Scorpion King (starring Dwayne Johnson) and 2008’s The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor kept the franchise alive, Universal’s 2017 reboot with Tom Cruise was critically panned, despite solid box office numbers. The studio’s attempt to launch a Dark Universe flopped, leaving fans wondering if the franchise was cursed. But with millennial nostalgia for Fraser at an all-time high—fueled by his Academy Award win for The Whale—this feels like the perfect moment to bring back the series.
Here’s the kicker: Universal’s recent monster movies, like Abigail, have underperformed, making a Mummy revival a safer bet. But is playing it safe the right move? Or should Universal take a risk with fresh ideas? Let us know in the comments—do you think this revival will breathe new life into the franchise, or is it a bandage on a much bigger problem?
Meanwhile, Radio Silence’s Ready or Not 2: Here I Come is set to hit theaters in 2026, and Fraser is back on the awards circuit with Rental Family. Weisz, fresh off Dead Ringers and Black Widow, continues to prove she’s a force to be reckoned with. With this much talent involved, the new Mummy movie could be a game-changer—or a cautionary tale. What do you think? Are you ready to unwrap this cinematic mummy, or should it stay buried?
