Is ‘Lee Cronin’s The Mummy’ related to ‘The Mummy’? Filmmaker hints at 'horrific traits' ahead of release
Fans may have heard that 'The Mummy' trilogy (1999–2008), starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, is getting a sequel with the lead stars set to reprise their fan-favorite roles after 20 years. The action-adventure film from Universal Pictures is slated for a May 2028 release. However, another similar title, 'Lee Cronin's The Mummy,' has also been in the news in the last few months, leading to confusion over the connection between the two. Fans may be left wondering if Lee Cronin's feature is a continuation of the beloved trilogy. Although both films are centered on Egyptian mummies and curses, they have very distinct tones and belong to separate genres. While the Fraser and Weisz-led film is a family-friendly action-adventure flick, Cronin's movie has a far darker tone.
'Lee Cronin's The Mummy' is a supernatural horror film written and directed by the acclaimed filmmaker. It's touted as a reimagining of the earlier horror films from the 'The Mummy' franchise, which dates back to the 1930s. Jack Reynor stars as the journalist Charlie Cannon, alongside Natalie Grace as Katie Cannon, Laia Costa as Larissa Santiago-Cannon, Verónica Falcón as Carmen Santiago, and May Calamawy as Detective Dalia Zaki, among others. As per the film's official synopsis, "The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace— eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she is returned to them, as what should be a joyful reunion turns into a living nightmare."
Speaking to IndieWire, Cronin said that he was drawn to the Egyptian monster but didn't set out to make a Mummy movie based on the three-film franchise. "There’s a chance to play around with lore in a different way, and also a mummy being somewhat of a blank canvas that you can then put horrific traits into because it’s not Dracula. It’s its own thing. It is kind of like a blank space." He clarified that there were no plans to change the film's title to 'The Resurrected' amid rumors that Warner Bros. wanted to change the title as it had lost confidence in the film.
He addressed these speculations, saying, "There was all this noise, going, 'Oh, my God, they’re changing the title because the movie sucks.' And it’s like, no, movies often have code words — to protect them." Cronin defended his film, adding, "I always knew that the movie itself would answer all of the questions that people had. And I knew I could take that chance to smash any of their other expectations." The Warner Bros. title is set to release in theaters across the U.S. on April 17.
