Sep 6, 2025 8:45 PM EDT<\/p>\n
A-lister Brendan Fraser<\/a>, 56, has been a major force in blockbuster films like The Mummy<\/a>, but his opinions about movies<\/a> released directly on streaming platforms might just take fans by surprise. <\/p>\n \u201cAudiences are more focused and have the option to skip to the next if they wish,\u201d he told Variety<\/a> in a new interview on September 6. While that might be daunting to some actors, the Hollywood legend says he \u201cwelcomes that as a challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt means you have to up your game and choose more carefully, be better,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n That said, Fraser\u2019s next film is getting a theatrical release. Rental Family features Fraser as an actor named Philip working in Japan before taking a gig filling in as a surrogate for people who are grieving<\/a> the loss of a loved one. He said he chose the project because he was struck by the unique concept. <\/p>\n \u201cIt was so far removed from anything that I had seen at all,\u201d he said. \u201cThe nature<\/a> of the story being an unusual way to fulfill the needs that people have who are bereft of family<\/a>. It seemed like a film without a villain<\/a>, per se, apart from apathy, and that speaks to us at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n Fraser is no stranger to the silver screen, having risen to prominence as a leading man in Encino Man in 1992 and George of the Jungle in 1997, both of which were considered box office successes, opening at 2nd and 4th and earning $40.7 million and $174.4 million, respectively. His 2004 film Crash won an Academy Award for Best Picture, and his The Mummy trilogy made a staggering $417 million worldwide across three films. <\/p>\n Unfortunately, the success<\/a> dried up following The Mummy\u2018s third film, and Fraser took a break amid both personal and professional struggles. \u201cI\u2019ve never been that far away, but I did step out of the spotlight for a spell there to sort some things out in my life<\/a> and to take stock of who I am, where I\u2019m going, and what my aspirations are,\u201d he told Willy Geist<\/a> in 2023. \u201cI\u2019ve learned that it\u2019s going to do me good to work smart instead of work hard.\u201d<\/p>\n \ud83c\udfac <\/strong>SIGN UP for Parade\u2019s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox<\/strong><\/a> \ud83c\udfac<\/strong><\/p>\n Fraser made a huge splash returning to the spotlight in Darren Aronofsky\u2019s The Whale<\/a> in 2022. The film earned him a Best Actor award at the 2022 Oscars<\/a>, Critics\u2019 Choice Movie Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, and many more. <\/p>\n \u201cI feel so much more receptive and gratitude for the positive attention that I\u2019m receiving at this time,\u201d he said of the attention and accolades for his work in The Whale. \u201cIt\u2019s really humbling.\u201d<\/p>\nBrendan Fraser\u2019s Rise, Fall, and Comeback in Hollywood<\/h2>\n
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