‘I’ve Been Waiting 20 Years’

If you are a ’90s kid, one movie franchise that made our childhood a thrilling nightmare we couldn’t get enough of was The Mummy. Started in 1999, the franchise went on to become a huge part of pop culture and grossed over $1.3 billion at the box office. Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz starred as the main protagonists, while the film introduced new villains in each installment. However, after the commercial and critical failure of the third film, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, Universal decided to kill the franchise. For years, fans have been wanting to see Fraser and Weisz back for another Mummy film, and they are finally getting what they have been longing for.

A couple of weeks ago, it was announced that a fourth film is in development at Universal, with Fraser and Weisz expected to return for the upcoming chapter. Now, in an interview with the Associated Press, the Oscar-winning actor has confirmed that the project is officially happening, and it’s the sequel he’s been eager to make for years.

Speaking about the upcoming Mummy movie, the 56-year-old actor didn’t shy away from saying that the third movie in the franchise didn’t turn out the way he’d hoped. Fraser said, “The one I wanted to make was never made. The third one was a model of … how can I say this to the AP reporter? NBC had the rights to broadcast the Olympics that year. So they put two together, and we went to China. Working in Shanghai, an incredible experience. I’m proud of the third one because I think it’s a good standalone movie. We picked up and did what we do with a different crew on deck and gave it our best shot.”

But now, he’s just happy to finally have the chance to return for a sequel and make it the way he always envisioned. He added, “But the one I wanted to make is forthcoming. And I’ve been waiting 20 years for this call. Sometimes it was loud, sometimes it was a faint telegraph. Now? It’s time to give the fans what they want.”

As per the reports, the forthcoming film in the franchise won’t be a reboot, but rather a sequel that would essentially ignore the third film’s narrative. The plot details have been kept under wraps, and it is yet to be seen if other members of the franchise, which began in 1999, will be reprising their roles or not. The first film in the series grossed over $422 million globally and received a nomination at the Academy Awards. Meanwhile, the second movie received a similar response at the box office and earned more than $435 million.

However, it was the third film that made all the difference. Made on a budget of $145 million, it could only rake in $405 million, becoming the lowest-earning movie of the franchise. Moreover, it received negative reviews from critics as well as audiences, which made Universal believe that it was time to take a step back. Now, almost 17 years later, Universal is once again taking that gamble, and with Fraser’s growing popularity, the film is poised to be a success.

As of now, no release date has been announced.

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