Brendan Fraser & Rachel Weisz Reunite for New ‘Mummy’—A Millennial Nostalgia Play

One of my favorite movie-going experiences ever happened when I was in fourth grade. I remember going to a matinee of The Mummy with my dad. It was my first "scary" movie in theaters, and it totally blew me away.

There was everything a kid could love: action, adventure, partial nudity, and pithy one-liners. I was completely enraptured by the film, and when the sequel came out when I was in seventh grade, it only steeped me and my generation further in the world and the characters.

According to a report from Deadline, after years of fan speculation and a recent surge in nostalgia with Brendan Fraser's acting comeback, Universal Pictures is reportedly developing a new installment in The Mummy franchise with original stars in talks to return.

That's right, Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz will pick up where they left off 25 years ago and explore even more of the crypts of Egypt.

Let's dive in.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

The Mummy Returns...Again

I have to say, when this news broke, I actually cheered. I am a massive fan of the movies of everyone involved, so this feels like a dream come true.

The new film is set to be directed by the filmmaking team "Radio Silence," also known as Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. These are the guys behind modern horror hits like Ready or Not, Scream (2022), and Scream VI.

The project is reportedly being written by David Coggeshall, with franchise veteran Sean Daniel returning to produce alongside Project X Entertainment's William Sherak, James Vanderbilt, and Paul Neinstein.

Plot details are being kept under wraps, but the idea is they will probably retcon The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor out of the canon and focus on a brand new story that puts Rick and Evie in the spotlight.

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Millennials Rule Hollywood

Right now, Hollywood is looking for any way to get butts into seats, and the target audience appears to be millennials. They have money, kids, and grew up going to the movies, so why not try to bring them back by servicing movies they made into hits when they were kids?

The return of The Mummy franchise follows a wave of renewed appreciation for Fraser and the original franchise, which was recently highlighted by the successful 25th-anniversary theatrical re-release of The Mummy in April 2024.

That did well, and I think places like Letterboxd show just how many people log watching these films and what they mean to these audiences.

It's interesting to me to be part of the key demo Hollywood is catering to now. If this is a hit, I do think it opens the doors for a lot more plays at catering to millennials, especially if they show up as a strong demo.

The smart thing about The Mummy movies is that they brought in a few genres, with people coming for horror scares that kept these movies PG-13 and action and adventure that helped them branch out from just the core monster fans.

That amalgamation was revolutionary at the time, and I'd love to see that genre mashup come back, because I think it would help bring in fans of all ages.

Summing It All Up

The reboot of The Mummy is a clear sign that Hollywood is looking at millennials not only for their taste but also for their wallets.

This is a big play at reviving a franchise, but one I am all for and that seems just so exciting and pulpy to me.

I can't wait to see what's in store on this next adventure.

Let me know what you think in the comments.