Recent online speculation about a possible fourth installment in The Mummy franchise has reignited excitement amongst fans. With Brendan Fraser’s career resurgence and acclaimed performance in The Whale, could this signal the long-awaited return of Rick O’Connell and Evelyn Carnahan? This article analyzes the rumors and examines the likelihood of seeing Fraser and Rachel Weisz reprise their roles.
Debunking Current Rumors A supposed movie poster emerged on social media promoting a 2025 release of “The Mummy: Fountain of the Persian Knights” starring Fraser and Weisz. It teased an adventure tale focused on O’Connell searching for his missing son.
However, it’s vital to stress that these rumors hold no weight. There is currently no Mummy 4 in active development at Universal Pictures, which owns the intellectual property rights. The last installment was 2008’s The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.
Looking Back at the Initial Mummy 4 Plans The studio originally had intentions to produce a fourth film in the late 2000s under the working title “The Mummy: Rise of the Aztec.” The idea was to take Rick O’Connell to South America to face a new supernatural threat.
Brendan Fraser was set to return in the lead role, accompanied again by John Hannah as Jonathan Carnahan. Rob Cohen, who directed 2001’s The Fast and the Furious, was attached as director. Antonio Banderas was in discussions for the main villain role.
In a 2009 interview, Maria Bello, who took on the role of Evelyn O’Connell in the third movie, voiced optimism that The Mummy 4 would happen. But those plans failed to materialize despite early momentum.
The Dark Universe Attempt and Critical Failure Universal took a radically different approach to reviving The Mummy franchise in 2017 by launching an interconnected “Dark Universe” series. The movie starred Tom Cruise and Sofia Boutella rather than the familiar O’Connell family.
It intended to initiate a shared world of rebooted monster characters from the studio’s archives. However, the new Mummy reboot faced scathing reviews and became a box office bomb. This convinced Universal to abandon their Dark Universe ambitions.
Would Brendan Fraser Return as Rick O’Connell? The critical and commercial failure of the Cruise reboot makes it unlikely Universal will take another risky stab at The Mummy for several years. But hypothetically, if the right opportunity emerged, Brendan Fraser has repeatedly stated he’d be very interested in playing O’Connell again.
On the back of his Oscar buzz for The Whale, Fraser’s star power in Hollywood has substantially grown. After years out of the limelight, directors and producers are keen to work with him on future projects. Returning to his career-defining Mummy role could hold great appeal.
However, Rachel Weisz’s involvement would be less certain. In previous interviews, she’s indicated feeling reluctant to revisit old characters. But never say never if the script excited her.
The Unpredictable Future of The Mummy Franchise Given the painful failure of 2017’s reboot, Universal is likely to tread cautiously with The Mummy IP rather than rushing into new sequels. Even Fraser’s keenness to return isn’t enough assurance.
That said, unexpected franchise resurrections have happened before in Hollywood. With the right visionary director at the helm and a script that captures the spirit of the 1999 original, perhaps a quality reinvention isn’t out of the question someday.
For now, fans will have to settle for wishful thinking unless updates emerge. But The Mummy’s unique blend of action, horror and comedy could potentially inspire a future generation.
Conclusion In closing, while fanciful rumors shouldn’t be trusted, Brendan Fraser’s vocal enthusiasm to play Rick O’Connell again at least leaves a door open for The Mummy franchise. Combined with his critical comeback and the public’s nostalgia for late 90s blockbusters, momentum could slowly build towards an eventual Mummy 4. Never say never.
