Ironically, 'Mummy' Franchise Won't Die

Tuesday

05Aug2008

Ironically, 'Mummy' Franchise Won't Die

Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at 1:37AM

Before the film opened in second place, accruing roughly four-fifths of the audience it was expected to, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor was already spurring thoughts in the mind of director Rob Cohen of where the franchise could head next.

You heard me. The guy's talking Mummy Quatro.

Cohen and Brendan Fraser, in the past, hinted that the Amazon might be a good place to take the series in the future, but last week, Cohen - whose best movie is probably xXx, so that should tell you something - revealed his great idea to MTV. “By taking The Mummy out of Egypt and putting it in China, by exploring a different approach to the quest for immortality, we now have it clear that the Mummy franchise can travel,” effused Cohen.

I don't know what's so different. It's not like any of these mummies Rick and Evie O'Connell have raised have ever been cordial and agreeable. They all want to destroy the world. Whether they do it in Egypt or China doesn't make much of a difference.

Perhaps that's why Cohen is eyeing Peru and Mexico specifically. "They have a lot of mummies. The Aztec culture had a lot of mummies and some of their mummy designs for the Foundation Army were taken from Mexican mummies that they have found,” he added, sounding informed. “So I think that somehow that might make the basis of a good story.”

Sure it could, and it could also be the third straight retread for a franchise that is ten years old and has produced exactly one pretty good movie.

I mentioned in my review of Dragon Emperor that we needed more of that story and less of the O'Connells. In fact, I think the only way to salvage this series should they go forward is to meld the Scorpion King approach, in which the full story of the historical mummies would be explained and enacted, and bookend that story with the search and discovery by the archaeologists. Less action for Fraser, Maria Bello, and Luke Ford, and more centuries old ass kicking. I simply can't see the exact same story working the fourth time if it didn't the second or the third.

But what about the box office? Well, the new Mummy is doing plenty well, thank you. It may have only made $40 million in the U.S., but the $145 million threequel is already at $100 million internationally. Even if marketing pushes the total budget to $200 million, this movie should make that back without too much trouble.

So while it may not happen, I just wanted you to be adequately prepared. If they decide to move forward, I say we petition Universal so that the mummy in the next movie is recently deceased Soviet dissident and author Alexandr Solzhenitsyn. That would rock hard!

Colin Boyd |

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4 Comments |

Reader Comments (4)

Well the ride at Universal Studios still sucks worse than any of the movies. And the movies suck pretty hard...

This is getting to be like the Leprechaun series (and who would have thought those movies would be groundbreaking...

I mean, what are the next to movies going to be? Mummy: In Space? Followed by Mummy: In 'Da Hood?

Can't wait.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008 |

Will

Mummy goes to camp, Mummy goes to Jail...

Tuesday, August 5, 2008 |

Rachel

i want a mother f*cking 2pac and BIG mummy.

Tuesday, August 5, 2008 |

All of my fine films are available on Netflix, including Scared Stoopid. Put them in your queue today!

Know what I mean, Verne!

Tuesday, August 5, 2008 |

Ernest P. Worrell

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