The Mummy Promises To Be “Very Frightening” According to Lee Cronin

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As a longtime horror enthusiast with a soft spot for Mummy movies, I’m absolutely thrilled about Lee Cronin taking the reins for The Mummy, set to hit theaters in 2026! With his proven talent demonstrated in Evil Dead Rise and the powerhouse production team of Doppelgängers, Atomic Monster, and Blumhouse, this film is shaping up to be a chilling and unique take on an iconic monster.

Lee Cronin has established a reputation in the horror genre following the release of “Evil Dead Rise” in 2023. Now, he is set to pen and direct “The Mummy”, slated for release on April 17, 2026, by New Line Cinema.

The Hollywood Reporter broke the story. In a statement, Lee said:

This is not going to resemble any “Mummy” film you’ve seen previously. I’m delving into the depths of the earth to unearth something incredibly old and extremely terrifying.

The Production Team Is A Good One

As a devoted fan, I’m excited to share that the creative powerhouse behind this project is none other than my beloved Lee’s own production company, Doppelgängers. Joining forces with the fearsome duo of Atomic Monster and Blumhouse – names that, if you haven’t heard them before, you definitely should!

Atomic Monster is the production company of renowned horror filmmaker James Wan, who has directed movies like Saw, Insidious, The Conjuring, Furious 7, and Aquaman. With more than 30 major films under his belt as a producer.

Over the past decade and a half, Jason Blum’s production company, Blumhouse Productions, has significantly shaped contemporary horror filmmaking. Their groundbreaking work began with the release of “Paranormal Activity” in 2009. Since then, they have been instrumental in producing numerous horror films.

  • Insidious
  • Sinister
  • The Purge
  • Oculus
  • The Gift
  • The Visit
  • Split
  • Get Out
  • Halloween (2018)
  • The Invisible Man
  • The Black Phone
  • M3GAN
  • Speak No Evil (2024)

It’s noteworthy that Blumhouse was involved in the production of Damien Chazelle’s movie “Whiplash.” That’s quite remarkable, as Chazelle mentioned in an interview with Slash Film.

For example, the team behind the movie “Whiplash” was Blumhouse. Now, you might wonder why Blumhouse was involved in “Whiplash”, as it doesn’t seem like a natural connection. The reason is that I had previously interacted with some of the Blumhouse team when I pitched ideas for movies like “Ouija” or possibly “Paranormal Activity 5” or “6”. Although I didn’t get those assignments, I did establish a relationship with one of the producers at Blumhouse, Cooper Samuelson. Later on, I presented “Whiplash” to him and so forth.

Is The Mummy Connected To The Brendan Fraser/Tom Cruise Mummy Movies?

2017’s “The Mummy,” starring Tom Cruise, was a fresh take on the popular 1999 film starring Brendan Fraser, which itself was inspired by the 1932 version of “The Mummy.” All these films share a common origin as they were all produced by Universal Pictures.

Following the underperformance of Tom Cruise’s movie, Universal Studios shifted their focus towards smaller to moderately-priced film projects. Kicking off this new approach was “The Invisible Man,” one of my top picks for 2020, produced by Blumhouse. Another Blumhouse production, “Wolf Man,” is slated for release in 2025. Additionally, films like “Renfield,” “The Last Voyage of the Demeter,” and “Abigail” were included in this new strategy, although they are not Blumhouse productions.

Although Blumhouse is associated with Universal Studios, the new portrayal of the iconic mummy character will be uniquely different because it originates from New Line Cinema, which is part of Warner Bros.

What Should We Expect From Lee Cronin’s Mummy?

Tom Cruise’s movie “The Mummy” aimed to establish a universe similar to Marvel’s Monsterverse. Consequently, the film’s grandeur and box-office worthy elements were intentionally exaggerated. In this storyline, you’ll find zombies lurking in the London Underground. Russell Crowe takes on the role of Dr. Jekyll. Overall, it’s a wildly extravagant production.

As a gamer, I found myself immersed in a grand spectacle set in ancient Egypt, reminiscent of the extravagance that could’ve paved the way for Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean. With a blade in my hand, I squared off against an army of undead combatants, a thrilling battle that tested my skills to their limits.

Instead of focusing on large-scale action-adventures, it seems likely that production companies like Blumhouse and Atomic Monster lean more towards creating suspenseful horror stories, where the atmosphere is tense and eerie, with the protagonist being stalked by a terrifying monster rather than battling a formidable final boss.

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2024-12-21 01:38