I’m Convinced The Mummy With Brendan Fraser Broke Movie Reboots for a Generation (And the 2027 Sequel Can Complete the Circle)

Hollywood history is littered with attempts at rebooting properties that were once popular. More often than not, these attempts fall by the wayside and quickly get forgotten about, but that has especially been the case since the 2000s. A major reason why is that one movie came along in 1999 that rebooted a long-forgotten franchise and breathed new life into it.

That film was The Mummy, directed by Stephen Sommers. The original was released way back in 1932, with sequels arriving throughout the next decade and attempted reboots coming soon after. They never really stuck or became hits until this 1999 iteration, which changed reboots going forward. Since the reboot of The Mummy was so well done, so unique, and became so beloved, it’s more difficult than ever for similar reboots to live up to it. That was even the case for the sequels that followed.

Since 2000, reboots have tried to replicate what The Mummy did, yet most have never come close. The film has withstood the test of time, turned a franchise around, and is now set for another sequel nearly three decades after it returned, showcasing how special 1999’s The Mummy really is.

The Mummy Reboot Reinvented A Dead Property

As noted, The Mummy as a franchise dates back to 1932, with sequels coming out between 1940 and 1955. There was also a set of films from 1959 through 1971, but after that, nothing happened until 1999. It’s hard to revive something that hadn’t been active for nearly two decades; The Mummy pulled it off by changing the genre, as previous installments were rooted in horror and this new take was an action-adventure film. Moving from a horror story to something fun and exciting attracted a broader audience, which is part of why the movie gained so many fans.

The Mummy grossed over $400 million and became a huge hit that spawned several sequels. The true strength of the film is how timeless it is. There are still so many people who love the movie and talk about it consistently. It has one of the largest and most passionate fan bases of any project from that era. Brendan Fraser’s Rick O’Connell and Rachel Weisz’s Evelyn Carnahan are pop culture staples, while the sequel, The Mummy Returns, marked the big-screen debut of Dwayne Johnson. It’s hard to think of any reboot that had that level of success.

Other Similar Reboot Attempts Failed To Recreate The Mummy’s Magic

The success of The Mummy led many studios to try reviving other forgotten franchises. For example, Tim Burton’s Planet of the Apes was a misfire, Superman Returns was poorly received, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is viewed as the worst installment of that franchise. The 2010s continued this trend with Ghostbusters, Tron: Legacy, Robocop, and The Karate Kid all failing to live up to what came before. There are a few exceptions, like 2018’s Halloween and Mad Max: Fury Road, but most of these attempts missed the mark.

Even The Mummy itself wasn’t able to repeat its success. After 2008’s The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor flopped, the franchise disappeared for nearly a decade until it was brought back in 2017 with Tom Cruise at the forefront. Despite Cruise’s track record of hits, the box office disappointed and critics ripped the film apart. Its failure led to the cancellation of Universal’s planned Dark Universe.

As recently as this year, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy took another stab at the franchise. It was a mild box office success and received mixed reviews, while being quickly forgotten about. The fact that even The Mummy couldn’t redo what it did in 1999 shows just how impressive Stephen Sommers’ reboot was.

The 2027 Mummy Reboot Could Save The Franchise Again

With the poorly received The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor in 2008 and the 2017 disappointment, there hasn’t been a successful entry in The Mummy franchise since 2001. That’s why the news of a legacy sequel is so exciting, as it gives this new iteration a chance to do what the 1999 film did. It can reignite interest in a seemingly dead series. Legacy sequels can be tough sells as, like reboots, there are more misses than hits. However, with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz returning alongside John Hannah, there’s reason for hope.

The directorial team of Tyler Gillett and Matt Bettinelli-Olpin also has potential, as their films to date have been a ton of fun. This fourth installment in Rick and Eve O’Connell’s story could make for the best version of The Mummy yet. It can do what Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and The Matrix Resurrections failed to do and breathe new life into a once-fun franchise. If it pulls that off, it would make The Mummy the rare franchise to successfully reinvent itself more than once.