Universal Names New Mummy Film The Mummy Book of the Dead

Universal Pictures has announced The Mummy Book of the Dead as the official title of its next Mummy film, starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. The studio says the movie is scheduled to open in theaters on October 15, 2027. Fraser and Weisz will reprise their roles as Rick and Evelyn O’Connell, characters they first played together in 1999’s The Mummy and returned to in 2001’s The Mummy Returns. Weisz did not appear in 2008’s The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, in which Maria Bello took over the role of Evelyn. The new film is directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, known together as Radio Silence, from a screenplay by David Coggeshall. John Hannah, Oded Fehr and Kevin J. O’Connor are also returning, while Michael Johnston and Numan Acar are among the additional cast members named in reports. Universal has not disclosed a plot or logline. The title has prompted speculation about the Book of the Dead and whether the story could involve Imhotep, the supernatural antagonist in earlier films, but no return by that character has been confirmed. Reports that the new movie will disregard the third film’s events or continue directly from The Mummy Returns likewise...