Fraser, Weisz Return for The Mummy 4 in 2028, Ignoring Third Film

Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are set to reprise their iconic roles as Rick O'Connell and Evelyn Carnahan in the fourth installment of Universal Pictures' The Mummy franchise, with directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett indicating that the 2008 film The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor will not factor into the storyline. The project, helmed by the filmmaking duo known as Radio Silence, is slated for theatrical release on May 19, 2028.

The decision to sideline the third film emerged during recent interviews with the directors. When asked by Entertainment Weekly if the events of Tomb of the Dragon Emperor would be considered canon, Bettinelli-Olpin responded, "Well, Rachel is in this one," while Gillett added, "That should answer the question for you." Weisz, who portrayed the Egyptologist in the 1999 original and its 2001 sequel The Mummy Returns, did not appear in the third entry, where Maria Bello assumed the role opposite Fraser. The directors' comments suggest the new film will treat the first two movies as the primary continuity, effectively rebooting the narrative around the original leads.

The screenplay comes from David Coggeshall, whose work convinced both...