Thought safely entombed in a crypt deep beneath the unforgiving desert, an ancient queen (Sofia Boutella of Kingsman: The Secret Service and Star Trek Beyond) whose destiny was unjustly taken from her, is awakened in our current day, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia and terrors that defy human comprehension.
From the sweeping sands of the Middle East through hidden labyrinths under modern-day London, The Mummy brings a surprising intensity and balance of wonder and thrills in an imaginative new take that ushers in a new world of gods and monsters.
Cruise is joined by a cast including Annabelle Wallis (upcoming King Arthur, television’s Peaky Blinders), Jake Johnson (Jurassic World), Courtney B. Vance (TV’s American Crime Story: The People V. O.J. Simpson) and Oscar winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator).
Coming to theaters on June 9, 2017, The Mummy is directed by Alex Kurtzman, who also produces alongside Chris Morgan (Fast & Furious series, Wanted) and Sean Daniel (The Mummy trilogy, The Best Man series). Jon Spaihts and Christopher McQuarrie wrote the screenplay, and Bobby Cohen executive produces. It’s being planned as the first film in the Universal Monster cinematic universe with plans for The Wolfman, The Invisible Man, Bride of Frankenstein, and Van Helsing all in various stages of development.
Have you seen the trailer for Okja, the new Netflix movie from the director of Snowpiercer? And are you aware that Netflix is preparing a sequel series to the Dark Crystal? I have seen the future of cinema, and it is Netflix. I’m more relaxed about this shared monster universe now. If it’s the one the characters deserve, everyone wins, but if it’s mediocre, or downright terrible, and yet still successful, it does not matter if it brings down the game. Because I am now 100 per cent secure in the belief that Netflix and its competitors will keep delivering quality content, right into the comfort of our homes.
A sequel to the Dark Crystal! After over two decades, and way too much wishing and hoping, and I don’t know how many rumors and false starts! It took Netflix.
The Mummy does look cool, and they had me at “Tom Cruise.” But I hope we don’t eventually end up with 20 shared universes floating around, because it will have the potential to kill individuality in filmmakers. David Lynch is retiring from making feature films. That should terrify cinephiles. Maybe he’ll find a place at Netflix though.
I’m not cutting down on modern film, you know how much I love the MCU, you know how much I need my pure escapism, I just feel like Hollywood is out of balance, that there are not nearly enough filmmakers with unique voices, taking risks. There are plenty of art films out there if you look, but Hollywood is fast abandoning the business of nurturing artists and auteurs. A shared universal monster universe might have benefitted from more artistry, and less Tom Cruise reacting to explosions. I’m not going to tear down a whole franchise when I haven’t even seen the first one, I plan to give the movie the benefit of the doubt, but it is not going to be a distinctive movie. The films in this shared universe are going to feel exactly like every Hollywood blockbuster, methinks.
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The Dark Crystal news went up on the FB page. There’s just too much news to keep up with and write full posts on these days and honestly I don’t have the energy for it. I was definitely excited about it as was the KT Facebook crowd.
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I don’t disagree with your comments, Peter. However, I believe the ‘shared universe’ tactic that Hollywood movie makers are now embracing is at least an improvement over ‘sequalitis’; having a shared universe allows for more character development than is typically allowed for in a single movie, and now the blockbuster filmmakers are being encouraged to think more long-term with their plot lines. With that said, there’s still no excuse for the Transformers Universe, LOL! 🙂
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I agree. I think a shared universe is a better environment for competent character building (obviously excepting the Hasbro shared universe, sigh). Even DC seems to be turning it around if early buzz on WW is to be believed. It looks like putting Geoff Johns in a Kevin Feige role is paying off as he’s doing Rogue One level reshoots on Justice League. He stole Joss Whedon from Marvel for a Batgirl film. He locked down Matt Reeves for the solo Batman film, I love everything I’ve seen of the DCEU Aquaman and James Wan’s solo film is next year and Robert Zemeckis is in talks to take over The Flash. That’s all very hopeful news.
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This is true. The fact is, sequels tend to be better now than they used to be, because sequels are no longer afterthoughts, tacked on in the event that a film is successful. Instead, the assumption from the start, and the ultimate goal, is ALWAYS that there will be a franchise. So there are good points too.
My real problem is not that there are too many superhero films and franchises, my problem is that films are becoming increasingly impersonal, that they all feel the same, that artists are no longer being encouraged to put their own stamps on their movies. I’m generalizing, of course. But as Dave points out below, there are actually (miracle of miracles) some good pieces of news coming out of the DCEU (except for Snyder’s daughter, and the man is in my prayers) and maybe there will be an evolution, and auteurs will find a way to survive.
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The DCEU hopefully will right itself and if anyone can get Justice League through the situation it tragically finds itself in, it’s Whedon (who was already working on the reshoots). Hopefully Snyder’s name will be listed as co-director (it certainly should be). That some people trolled him on the net celebrating his withdrawal when he clearly made the right choice in the face of unspeakable tragedy is why everyone hates comment boards. He and his wife and seven other children are in my prayers as well.
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