Deadline reports that Universal have signed up Len Wiseman (
Underworld) to helm
The Mummy, a reboot of the popular franchise which starred Brendan Fraser and grossed a total of $1.25 billion. The screenplay is being written by Jon Spaihts (
Prometheus), and Wiseman had this to say about the different direction that this reboot will take.
"When I first heard Universal was relaunching this, that is the image that popped into my head, the period tale, the old monster, but when Bob and Alex pitched it, there was a great new take and approach, and a very different mummy as well. It’s a darker twist on the material, a scarier version."
The filmmaker also had this to say about the mummy in the film, making it clear that they will be taking a VERY different direction to the previous franchise.
"One of the things that interested me with this mummy is, he’s still in essence a man. They haven’t turned his brain into a monster brain. He still has a personality and is very cunning and calculating. He’s a true character in any form, and in creature form, even if he is that staggering creature, it becomes more important that he’s a thinking, calculating person." Regardless of whether or not you're a fan of his work, it's fair to say that Wiseman has a good handle on action and he certainly had no trouble in creating a visually stunning world in
Total Recall earlier this year and this actually sounds rather good!
While the "darker" remake will still be taking aim at a PG-13 audience, producer Alex Kurtzman still believes that they can still make it a success with a darker tone which delves into areas that the previous family friendly instalments simply did not.
"We’re reaching into the deep roots of The Mummy, which at its beating heart is a horror movie and then an action movie, and putting it into a context that is real and emotional. It’s still a four quadrant film but as a lot of recent movies have proven, audiences are hungry for more than they used to be. You can still have a family movie, an action movie that’s more grounded than these used to be. Without saying too much, we’ve drawn a lot of inspiration from Michael Crichton’s books, and how he ground fantastical sales in modern day science." What do you guys think? Sound off below with your thoughts.
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