I had just turned 10 when The Mummy came out in May of 1999, and I remember cowering, wide-eyed, behind my giant bag of popcorn topped with Sno-Caps as man-eating CGI scarabs terrorized the characters on screen. I couldn’t sleep that night when we returned home from the movie theater, as visions of decrepit mummies and deadly, ancient bugs and men shriveling up as they got the life sucked out of them flashed in my little girl brain. I was so scared! I was hooked.
The Mummy has long been one of my favorite films, partly due to my undying ’90s nostalgia but also because it’s just a great time. It’s a movie that feels like a movie, as Harry Styles might put it. And what’s not to love? The film pays tribute to the classic adventure films of years-gone-by without feeling like an uninspired retread.
It’s got action! Fantasy! Romance! It’s a little spooky, too! (For a 10-year-old, anyway, in that entry-level, gateway-horror way.) It’s the kind of movie I can watch over and over again, any time, no matter what mood I’m in. It’s like the cinematic equivalent of a comfort meal, but with some actual nutrition — not necessarily the guilty pleasure fast-food kind.
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Plus, the cast is absolutely stacked. Arnold Vosloo is menacing and empathetic as the mummy Imhotep, breathing fresh life into the classic Universal Pictures monster. Brendan Fraser is the perfect leading man: Handsome, funny, and oozing effortless charisma and swashbuckling charm as adventurer Rick O’Connell. Meanwhile, Rachel Weisz channels the spirit of Old Hollywood’s leading ladies with her charming portrayal of bookish, beautiful, brave Egyptologist Evelyn Carnahan. Together, their chemistry is electric.
Following recent news that Fraser and Weisz are (finally, thankfully) in talks to reprise their roles as Rick and Evie for a new Mummy adventure, as a longtime fan of the the 1999 film and its 2001 sequel I’ve got some thoughts (let’s call them polite requests) about what I’d love to see in this long-awaited sequel — as well as what I desperately hope the filmmakers will avoid.
Below, here are five things I hope to see in The Mummy 4. (Or The Mummy 3, I guess, if this next one retcons the forgettable Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.)
1. Rick and Evie Still Happily Married
Much like Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren in The Conjuring series, the ’90s/’00s Mummy films (the first two, anyway) truly wouldn’t be the same without Fraser and Weisz’s undeniable chemistry as Rick O’Connell and Evelyn Carnahan. Rick and Evie’s unconditional love for each other serves as the beating heart of the series, anchoring all the fantasy and adventure and horror with something palpable and earnest. Their relatable romance, which began with the ol’ enemies-to-lovers trope, gives the audience something to care about far beyond the action on screen.
That said, there might be some misguided notion to have Rick and Evie divorce or break up between films just so they can do the whole fall-in-love-again thing, or have Rick work to win Evie back from some sleek new suitor, or — Egyptian gods forbid — introduce a brand new love interest entirely. And to this I say: Don’t you dare.
We’ve seen it time and time again in movies: Han and Leia, Gale and Dewey, Indiana and Marion. But we don’t need to do the whole on-again, off-again plot device, or that tired thing where the male lead spirals away from his longtime love due to some trauma or personal unraveling (typically involving some strong liquor), only to find himself again and win her back. Please, leave Rick and Evie happily, passionately married. As fans saw in The Mummy Returns, they’re just as sexy and interesting married with a kid as they were single and flirting with each other in the first movie.
2. David Corenswet as Alex (Why Not?)
Evie and Rick’s son Alex is an important character in The Mummy universe. He plays a big role in The Mummy Returns, as well as Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, the latter of which attempted to set the character up to take the mantle from Fraser’s Rick for future films. (As we know, that sure as hell never happened.)
Unfortunately, actor Luke Ford, who played adult Alex in that film, wasn’t the right fit. Now don’t get me wrong: Ford is a competent actor, and was hardly the worst part about the movie, but his portrayal of Alex lacked the charisma characters in this particular franchise are known for. He failed to capture the bright-eyed curiosity and vibrant personality Alex displayed in The Mummy Returns, traits inherited no doubt from his parents.
If Alex were to return (which would make sense), might I present an inspired recasting opportunity? If ever there were an actor who not only looks like, but embodies the energy of a young Fraser, it’s Superman star David Corenswet. As Clark Kent, Corenswet nails the whole charming, heroic dork vibe I’d expect from the son of Rick and Evie O’Connell. Plus, if the franchise were to continue with Alex, Corenswet’s actually got the chops to carry the series forward. Someone get his agent on the line ASAP!
3. Jonathan Back in Action, Of Course
In a film absolutely stacked floor-to-wall with charismatic characters and memorable performances (Fraser! Weisz! Arnold Vosloo! Oded Fehr! Jonathan Hyde!), you might think the sibling of the romantic lead would get lost in the shuffle as a throwaway comedic relief. But John Hannah’s Jonathan, brother of Evelyn, doesn’t just hold his own; he’s a standout and fan-favorite in his own right.
Evie’s gambling, treasure-hunting brother steals many of the scenes he’s in. A gold-hearted scoundrel in business, his playboy charm and penchant for a lazy life of luxury are betrayed only by his unexpected bravery in the face of undead peril and his fierce loyalty to his family. His presence was a welcome comfort in Tomb of the Dragon Emperor — aside from Fraser, he was the only original actor to return for the maligned third installment — and another Rick and Evie adventure just wouldn’t be the same without him inadvertently causing trouble (and, to be fair, helping get everyone back out of trouble, in his own bumbling way). That said, I firmly expect Hannah will be getting a call from producers soon.
4. Imhotep (Hear Me Out…)
Arnold Vosloo is a magnetic presence in the first two Mummy movies, bringing Imhotep (back) to life with a unique blend of pathos, sex appeal, and intimidating swagger. He infuses the role with gravitas and vulnerability while managing to be menacing and intense. And even though Imhotep is technically dead at this point (uh, again), it’s nothing a little reading from the Book of the Dead couldn’t fix!
Following Imhotep’s resurrection in The Mummy Returns, the larger-than-life villain, tragically betrayed by his lover Anck-Su-Namun, abandons his quest for world domination and returns to the underworld, heartbroken. Before he does so, he shoots Rick and Evie — the latter of whom refuses to desert Rick during a moment of mortal peril — a pained look of sorrow and longing for what they have, humanizing the once-mortal man behind the monster.
It’s the perfect setup for Imhotep to eventually return as an antihero who must help Rick and Evie face off against an even bigger, badder undead threat. We’ve seen it work in many films before, from Barbossa in the Pirates of the Caribbean series to Loki in the MCU and the T-800 in the Terminator movies. While it’s a well-used trope, it would provide an opportunity for the character to return to screen in a way that makes sense for the story, potentially to redeem his legacy as he helps save the world this time around.
5. Lots of Levity … Keep It Fun!
There’s a number of reasons 2017’s Mummy reboot starring Tom Cruise was a big, fat dud that critics and audiences hated. Its worst offense? Taking itself way too seriously. Bo-ring!
The Mummy (1999) embraced its inherent campiness, and also leaned into the silliness of the ‘30s and ‘40s serial films that inspired it. It was, in every sense of the word, a blast from start to finish, toggling between fun-filled fantasy adventure, high-energy action flick and spooky, supernatural gateway horror with style and ease. In contrast, Cruise’s Mummy was too action-focused, too somber and middling in tone; neither fun enough as an adventure movie nor scary enough to be an effective horror film. Let’s not make that mistake again.
Fraser’s Mummy series was also very, effortlessly funny, something the new film would greatly benefit from—especially considering Lee Cronin’s upcoming 2026 film based on the classic monster will be a dark horror film, so those bases are well-covered. For Fraser’s return I’d like to see more light-hearted levity. It’s why certain scenes from the 1999 film (“Hey, Beni! Looks to me like you’re on the wrong side of the river!” … “I am a librarian!”) are still so memorable for fans to this day.
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