The first rumblings that Universal would be seeking out Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman to develop a remake of The Mummy began in September 2012 with Len Wiseman (Underworld) in talks to direct a script from Jon Spaihts (Prometheus). Now Orci and Kurtzman have split and Kurtzman remains on the project, Wiseman is no longer attached and Chris Morgan (Fast Five screenwriter) now involved, though to what capacity is unclear, though it does seem as if Spaihts’ script is out the window.
Even more than all of that, the goal is to not only reboot The Mummy, but to create a “cinematic universe” surrounding Universal’s classic monsters, which also includes Dracula, Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Wolf Man, Phantom of the Opera and The Invisible Man. You know, the new Marvel formula of creating a universe so as to ensure one hit leads to several. It sounds like the upcoming Dracula Untold will not be part of what Deadline is saying will be the first time the studio has approached “these classic characters in a cohesive, connected way rather than as a series of stand-alone projects by disparate filmmaking teams.”
While nothing is yet set in stone, it appears the franchise will begin with The Mummy reboot, slated for a April 22, 2016 release.
Two years ago when Kurtzman discussed the project he said, “We’re reaching into the deep roots of The Mummy, which at its beating heart is a horror movie and then an action movie, and putting it into a context that is real and emotional… It’s still a four quadrant film but as a lot of recent movies have proven, audiences are hungry for more than they used to be. You can still have a family movie, an action movie that’s more grounded than these used to be. Without saying too much, we’ve drawn a lot of inspiration from Michael Crichton‘s books, and how he ground fantastical sales in modern day science.”
That “four quadrant” part tells you we’re looking at a PG-13 film and I have to assume it will be loaded with CGI blood and backgrounds and a glossy sheen… Essentially everything the classic films aren’t known for.
If it is Morgan that takes on the script I’m sure we’ll see more of what he brought to the last five Fast and Furious films as well as Wanted. In fact, I’ve included a great interview with him directly below that let’s you know a little more about his approach to screenwriting.
