News

‘The Mummy 4’ is Official: Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz Return May 2028

Published

2 months ago

February 10, 2026

It’s happening. For real this time.

Universal Pictures just made it official: Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are returning as Rick and Evelyn O’Connell for The Mummy 4, hitting theaters May 19, 2028. Nearly three decades after the 1999 original turned Fraser into an action icon and made us all fall in love with adventure-horror hybrids, the franchise is rising from the sand. And this time, they’re doing it right.

The Dream Team is Back

Fraser and Weisz have closed their deals. Both are officially on board to reprise the roles that made The Mummy a cultural phenomenon. For fans who’ve been begging for this reunion since 2001’s The Mummy Returns, this is everything.

Radio Silence duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are directing from a script by David Coggeshall. If those names sound familiar, it’s because Radio Silence has spent the last few years becoming genre royalty. Ready or Not, Scream (2022), Scream VI, and Abigail all came from these guys. They know how to balance horror, humor, and heart, which is exactly what made the original Mummy films work.

Their upcoming sequel Ready or Not 2: Here I Come drops March 20, and they’re already attached to an Art Bell biopic. The Mummy 4 will easily be their biggest budget swing yet, and the fact that Universal is trusting them with this franchise says everything about their track record.

Pretending The Mummy 3 Never Happened

Here’s where things get interesting.

Multiple sources confirm that The Mummy 4 will completely disregard the events of 2008’s The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. They’re not soft-rebooting it. They’re not retconning it. They’re straight-up pretending it doesn’t exist.

And honestly? That’s the right call.

Tomb of the Dragon Emperor had a $175 million budget and barely turned a profit. Weisz didn’t return, Maria Bello replaced her as Evelyn, and the magic of the first two films was nowhere to be found. Director Stephen Sommers bailed. The franchise moved from Egypt to China because NBC had Olympics broadcasting rights that year (yes, really—Fraser confirmed this himself).

Fraser told Variety back in November that this new film is “the one I wanted to make” that “was never made.” Translation: The Mummy 3 wasn’t it.

So Universal is hitting the reset button and going back to what actually worked: Fraser, Weisz, Egyptian curses, adventure-horror vibes, and that perfect blend of thrills, romance, and monsters that made the 1999 film a $416 million worldwide hit.

What the Directors Are Promising

Tyler Gillett told Empire Magazine exactly what fans want to hear about their approach:

“Having stepped into Scream, our radar for jumping into another franchise is that it has to feel special. And [David Coggeshall’s] script really does that. It is very beautiful and sweeping and scary and fun.”

Beautiful. Sweeping. Scary. Fun.

That’s the exact formula the 1999 film perfected. Indiana Jones-style adventure with horror undertones, set in a lush period world where one wrong move unleashes ancient evil. Sommers’ original film worked because it never took itself too seriously but also never became parody. It walked that tightrope between genuine scares and swashbuckling fun.

Fraser himself has been vocal about what went wrong with the 2017 Tom Cruise reboot. He told Variety the key ingredient missing from that version was fun.

“It was too much of a straight-ahead horror movie,” Fraser said. “The Mummy should be a thrill ride, but not terrifying and scary.”

Radio Silence clearly gets that. Their work on Ready or Not proved they can do horror with a wink. Scream showed they understand legacy franchises and fan expectations. Abigail demonstrated they can handle Universal monsters with style.

Why This Matters Now

Brendan Fraser is in the middle of a career renaissance. He won an Oscar for The Whale in 2023 and has been steadily piling up projects ever since. The internet loves him. Gen Z discovered his old films and turned him into a meme king. Nostalgia for late ’90s/early 2000s blockbusters is at an all-time high.

Meanwhile, Rachel Weisz has been doing prestige work, The Favourite, Dead Ringers. But the fact that she’s coming back for this speaks volumes. She didn’t need to return. She skipped The Mummy 3 entirely. Her involvement suggests the script and vision are actually worth her time.

And let’s be real: fans have been demanding this reunion for years. The Mummy (1999) wasn’t just a box office hit, it became a generational touchstone. People quote it constantly. The romance between Rick and Evelyn is iconic. The action holds up. The creature design is still terrifying.

When Universal tried to resurrect the franchise with Tom Cruise’s 2017 reboot as part of their failed “Dark Universe,” it bombed hard. Critics hated it. Audiences didn’t show up. The entire shared universe concept collapsed instantly.

Why? Because they forgot what made The Mummy work in the first place: fun, chemistry, adventure, and just enough horror to keep things interesting without becoming a grim slog.

The Production Team

Producer Sean Daniel is back. He’s been with the franchise since 1999, producing every installment including The Mummy Returns, The Scorpion King, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, and yes, even the 2017 disaster. His involvement ensures institutional knowledge and continuity.

William Sherak, James Vanderbilt, and Paul Neinstein are producing through Project X Entertainment. Fraser will executive produce alongside Hivemind’s Jason F. Brown and Denis Stewart.

Plot details are currently locked tighter than Imhotep’s sarcophagus, but that’s probably smart. Let the hype build naturally without spoiling what could be a genuinely surprising story.

The Bottom Line

Yes, we’re getting another legacy sequel. Yes, Hollywood is strip-mining nostalgia again. Yes, you’ve seen this playbook before.

But here’s the thing: when the original stars actually want to come back, when the directors understand what made the franchise special, and when the studio is willing to admit past mistakes and course-correct, sometimes these things actually work.

Fraser wanted to make this movie. Weisz came back after skipping the third film. Radio Silence signed on because the script felt “special.” Universal is pretending The Mummy 3 never happened and going back to what worked.

That’s the recipe for something potentially great. Or, at least way better than another soulless reboot with zero connection to what fans actually loved.

Will it live up to the 1999 original? Probably not. That film came out at the perfect cultural moment and caught lightning in a bottle.

But can it be fun, scary, romantic, and adventurous in the way those first two films were? Can it give us Rick and Evelyn’s story in a way that feels earned and respectful rather than cynical?

Based on everyone involved and what they’re saying publicly, there’s reason to be cautiously optimistic.

Now we just have to wait two years to find out if they can pull it off.

May 19, 2028. Mark your calendars. The mummy is rising again. And this time, it might actually be worth the wait.

Production begins soon. Expect casting news for supporting roles and additional plot details in the coming months.

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Related Topics:Brendan Fraser Rachel Weisz The Mummy

News

‘Behind the Mask 2’ Slays Kickstarter

Published

2 hours ago

April 22, 2026

Piper St. James

If you are hardwired into the horror community there is no doubt you heard the gasp around the internet earlier this month when Behind the Mask II: The Return of Le s lie Vernon was announced. The announcement of the long anticipated sequel came at a screening of the original at American Cinematheque in Los Angeles.

That same evening we also learned that Behind the Mask’s director Scott Glosserman as well as writer David J. Stieve will be returning to the film. Furthermore, cast members Nathan Baesel, Angela Goethals, and Robert Englund will be reprising their roles from the original.

*Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon*

A Kick into Overdrive

While the sequel is happening one way or another, a Kickstarter campaign was established. The money pledged would allow the filmmakers to create a movie that goes above and beyond their original budget.

As the campaign’s page states;

“The film is happening, that’s no-take-backs. If we hit these goals, it makes it possible to do it bigger, bloodier, and bolder.”

The campaign goes on, saying;

“This is not a “save the movie” campaign. The movie is happening. Kickstarter is how we make it our way. “

Roughly two weeks after the sequel’s announcement, the campaign launched with a modest day one goal of $20,000. To say that fans crushed this number is an understatement. In 9 minutes they reached their goal. In less than 24 hours the amount of backers climbed to over 300, and the pledges donated totaled more than $100,000!

Get to the Good Stuff!

For pledging, the moviemakers have included incentives that are truly in line with what the horror community wants.

The rewards begin at $25 with a digital streaming link of Behind the Mask II: The Return of Leslie Vernon. Tiers continue on as the pledge amounts increase. T-shirts, posters, Blu Rays and scripts are just some of the middle tier goodies. The larger donation amounts are rewarded with on screen “Special Thank You”s and various producer credits.

Nathan Baesel as Leslie Vernon in *Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon.*

It is the ‘Exclusive Add Ons’ where things get really interesting. Once a backer has already pledged, they can add on additional perks. These additions include

“accessories, autographs, props, and truly unique, fan forward in-person experiences… all intended to complement your chosen reward tier!”

One of the unique add on perks includes VHS tapes of the original Behind the Mask or the sequel, your choice! Given the fact the first movie was created right on the heels of when VHS was truly dead, older horror fans will especially find this perk an exciting addition to their vintage collection.

The reward add-ons also have the horror prop collectors in mind. You can purchase Leslie Vernon’s weapon of choice, a scythe, as well as his mask. Both of these are signed by actor Nathan Baesel.

For more personal experiences, you can add on a visit to the Behind the Mask II set during filming! You can also choose a cast and crew screening in LA or New York, complete with an after party. Finally, for the crème de la crème; you can be killed onscreen by Leslie Vernon himself!

Powered by the Fans

Behind the Mask II: The Return of Leslie Vernon is the little slasher movie that could!

For two decades the creators tried to find ways to make Leslie’s legacy continue. A failed first Kickstarter, rumors, teases, and false starts all led to the delay of a dream.

For twenty years the movie’s cult gathering slowly formed, cultivated, and grew louder and louder. Too loud to be ignored.

From the set of *Behind the Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon.*

As soon as the campaign went live, horror fans donated their hard earned money. And let’s face it; we are currently living in a time where the dollar doesn’t stretch as far. The fact that the long awaited sequel gained so much traction and backing, so quickly, really demonstrates the community’s love, support, and anticipation for Behind the Mask II: The Return of Leslie Vernon.

It looks like Leslie Vernon will finally be returning!

News

The Best Possible Person Is Directing A24’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Published

8 hours ago

April 22, 2026

Luna Gray

A24 went into a competitive auction, beat out Blumhouse, acquired one of the most difficult pieces of IP in the genre, and then gave the job to a director with one feature film to his name. That is a wild risk to take on such a young talent. But also, it’s Curry Barker, so we get it.

Curry Barker is writing and directing a reimagining of the 1974 original created by Tobe Hooper and Kim Henkel. As we have talked about before, A24 announced the acquisition back in February with no director attached. At least we have that figured out.

Who Curry Barker Is

Barker got here through Obsession, a film he made for under a million dollars that played TIFF Midnight Madness and sold to Focus Features for north of $14 million. He built the career that got him into that room starting on YouTube, which is the kind of origin story that should not end with A24 handing you a legacy franchise before your first wide release even opens. And yet, here we are.

The Franchise and the People Behind It

The 1974 original has since produced eight sequels and remakes. Some are far better than others. The franchise has been a problem for a long time and everyone who has touched it since the original has found a different way to confirm that.

A24 formally announced the acquisition earlier this year after winning the rights in a competitive bid. The producers are Roy Lee, Steven Schneider of Spooky Pictures, and Kim Henkel through Exurbia Films. Henkel co-created the original with Tobe Hooper.

One More Thing

There is also a separate Texas Chainsaw Massacre TV series in development at A24 from JT Mollner. Different project. The film and the series are happening at the same studio simultaneously, which means A24 now has more Leatherface in development than anyone has since the franchise was actually relevant. Barker’s film has no release date yet. Obsession opens May 15.

News

ITCH Is the Outbreak Film That Actually Gets Under Your Skin

Published

12 hours ago

April 22, 2026

Luna Gray

No one would blame you for looking at ITCH and filing it under zombie film. Because it is. The outbreak spreads person to person. People stop being people. The world ends a little bit. You know how it goes.

What Bari Kang actually made is something with a different mechanism at its center. The contagion does not spread through biting. It spreads through scratching. You scratch yourself. This makes you sick while it is happening. You scratch because someone near you scratched and something in your brain said that looks right.

I talked to Kang about it. Turns out it was not a deliberate subversion. “It was never meant to be a zombie film,” he told me. “That happened along the way.” The idea came during COVID. He watched someone scratching in a store and could not stop thinking about it. “What if that’s how something spreads?” He started writing from there and somewhere in the process the zombies arrived. “All of a sudden I had these zombies running around.” He went that route without going that route.

Why the Scratch Works

We all get how zombies work. They bite, someone hides their bite, sometime later everyone is dead. Kang’s instinct was that the scratch would do something different. “It’s really visceral and contagious,” he said. “I figured if I could lean into that, that might work well.” He was right.

There is something about watching someone scratch that is harder to look away from than watching someone get bitten. You feel it on your own skin. The sympathy itch is real and ITCH knows it and uses it without being cute about it. That is craft. For a film Kang wrote, directed, produced, and starred in himself, that is not a small thing.

Who Is Bari Kang

The short version: he decided he wanted to be an actor, spent a year auditioning and booking nothing, and then casting director Judy Henderson, who was in the middle of casting Homeland at the time, told him to go write his own stuff. “I was like, oh, you can do that,” he told me.

He said: “Nobody’s coming to give you a hand. There’s no handouts. It seems like we need permission or something to do it, but you just gotta get out there.” Yeah. That.

The Rule About Lore

There were versions of ITCH that explained what the itch was, where it came from, who started it. Kang cut all of it. The less he showed, the more the film asked audiences to do the work themselves. And audiences who do the work are more scared than audiences who are shown everything.

ITCH does not explain itself and it does not need to. A film about a contagion that spreads through something you cannot stop yourself from doing, made in the aftermath of a pandemic everyone lived through, does not require a mythology breakdown. It requires you to sit with what it is suggesting. Which is worse.

ITCH is available now.