Universal Pictures is dusting off its sarcophagus. A new report indicates The Mummy 4 is in active development as a continuation of the beloved late-’90s/early-2000s franchise — not a reboot — with a fresh creative team steering the expedition and the original leads potentially back in action.
The Mummy 4 Is Moving Forward At Universal
Per Deadline, Universal is developing a new entry set in the same continuity as Stephen Sommers’ The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns (2001). The project gained momentum online when screenwriter David Coggeshall (The Family Plan, The Deliverance) shared the trade’s report on X (formerly Twitter) with a playful tease: “Cat’s out of the bag, I guess :).” While the studio has yet to issue an official statement, Coggeshall’s post poured fuel on a fire that had already been smoldering for years among fans of Rick O’Connell’s pulpy, supernatural adventures.
The new film is set to be directed by the Radio Silence filmmaking collective — the team behind Ready or Not and the recent Scream entries — suggesting a return to the franchise’s signature blend of rollicking action, horror, and humor. Longtime series producer Sean Daniel is back, joined by William Sherak, James Vanderbilt, and Paul Neinstein via Project X Entertainment.
Crucially, the reported direction marks a clean separation from Universal’s 2017 reboot starring Tom Cruise, which launched and concluded a short-lived “Dark Universe” experiment. Instead, this new chapter is designed to reconnect with the tone and continuity fans associate with Sommers’ crowd-pleasers. Some reporting also indicates the film could sidestep or roll back elements from 2008’s The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, though specifics on timeline placement and continuity adjustments remain unconfirmed.
Will Brendan Fraser & Rachel Weisz Return?
The biggest question hovering over The Mummy 4 is casting — and there’s promising news. Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are said to be in early talks to reprise Rick O’Connell and Evelyn Carnahan-O’Connell, the intrepid adventurer and brilliant Egyptologist whose chemistry anchored the franchise’s first two films. The pair last appeared onscreen together in 2001’s The Mummy Returns; Weisz did not return for the 2008 sequel, with Maria Bello stepping in as Evelyn for that installment.
Fraser, fresh off his Best Actor Oscar win for The Whale, has been vocal about his affection for the role that helped define his blockbuster era. “I don’t know how it would work,” he told Variety in 2022, “But I’d be open to it if someone came up with the right conceit.” The reported new direction — returning to the high-spirited, swashbuckling roots of the franchise — certainly sounds like the kind of conceit that could lure him back.
As for Weisz, her return would be a marquee moment for the franchise. Despite some online confusion over her character’s fate, Evelyn was not written out of the original storyline; in The Mummy Returns, she briefly dies and is resurrected within the film’s supernatural narrative. With the series’ mythology steeped in curses, resurrections, and ancient powers, bringing Evelyn back into the fold alongside Rick feels like a natural fit if schedules and deals align.
Until Universal makes anything official, casting remains in the “talks” column. But the possibility of Fraser and Weisz reuniting — especially under filmmakers adept at balancing scares and wit — instantly positions The Mummy 4 as one of the most intriguing legacy sequels in development.
What To Expect From The Creative Team
Radio Silence — known for Ready or Not’s sharp mix of thrills and mordant humor, as well as reinvigorating Scream for a new generation — brings a genre-savvy sensibility well-suited to The Mummy’s pulpy DNA. Their films lean into suspense and spectacle without sacrificing character or comedy, a balance that helped make the 1999 original a modern adventure classic.
On the producing side, the returning presence of Sean Daniel (who shepherded the original trilogy) alongside Project X Entertainment’s William Sherak, James Vanderbilt, and Paul Neinstein points to a partnership that understands both the franchise’s history and the current blockbuster landscape. Coggeshall’s screenwriting résumé, which spans action-comedy (The Family Plan) and horror-drama (The Deliverance), also hints at a tonal blend that could honor the series’ crowd-pleasing spirit while pushing it forward.
Release Timing And What’s Next
Universal has not announced a release date. With the film in development and its core creative team assembling, a 2025 production start is possible, though that timeline depends on finalizing the script and cast. For now, The Mummy 4 is lining up the pieces that matter most: a clear creative vision, producers with franchise expertise, and the potential return of the stars who made audiences fall in love with Rick and Evelyn’s undead-battling exploits.
If it all comes together, The Mummy 4 could deliver the kind of swashbuckling, supernatural adventure that first turned the series into a global hit — and give Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz a long-awaited reunion under the desert sun. Until then, consider the sarcophagus officially cracked open, with more secrets likely to escape soon.
