With the news that Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz would be reuniting for another entry in The Mummy franchise, anticipation has rightly skyrocketed. Now, as the dust settles, Fraser has explained what drew him back to the series.
It was announced earlier this month that the pair would be reprising their respective roles of Rick O'Connell and Evelyn Carnahan for the upcoming film, which will be the fourth in the series.
The duo had appeared in the 1999 original film before coming back for The Mummy Returns in 2001. A second sequel, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, was released in 2008, but didn't feature Weisz.
Speaking to the Associated Press, the actor expressed his excitement at returning to the action-adventure series, sharing: "The one I wanted to make was never made… I’m proud of the third one because I think it’s a good standalone movie.
"But the one I wanted to make is forthcoming. I’ve been waiting 20 years for this call. Sometimes it was loud, sometimes it was a faint telegraph. Now? It’s time to give the fans what they want."
Related: Best streaming services UK 2025 — including Disney Plus, Netflix, iPlayer and Apple TV+
What to Read Next
Fraser, who won an Academy Award for Best Actor in 2023 for his performance in The Whale, also spoke to IndieWire about the eagerly-awaited film, teasing: "If my lips weren’t sealed, I would confirm everything that you already know.
"However, I’m hopeful. I know that there are a lot of fans who would love to see this happen… This generation, by your own description, have kids of their own now. So they’re introducing them to what they watched when they were kids."
Related: Brendan Fraser reveals The Mummy co-star's brutal film set injury
There are no concrete details on the plot of the film, though it seems likely that some retconning will be involved given the fact that Evelyn was portrayed by Maria Bello in Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, a pair of filmmakers who collaborate as part of the Radio Silence, will reportedly be helming the feature. The duo have a formidable track record, having directed Ready or Not, Scream 6 and Abigail.
The Mummy 4 has no release date.
The new edition of Living Legends is here! Buy Ariana & Witches in newsagents or online, priced at just £8.99.
Reporter, Digital Spy George is a freelance writer who specialises in Movies and TV. After graduating with a degree in Film Studies and Journalism from De Montfort University, in which he analysed the early works of Richard Linklater for his dissertation, he wrote for several websites for GRV Media. His film tastes vary from blockbusters like Mission: Impossible and John Wick to international directors such as Paolo Sorrentino and Hirokazu Kore-eda, and has attended both the London and Berlin film festivals.
