Brendan Fraser Reveals Why He’s Spent 20 Years Waiting to Make THE MUMMY 4
It has been a long stretch since Brendan Fraser first charged onto the screen as Rick O’Connell in The Mummy, the pulpy adventure hit that defined late 90s action fun.
For fans who grew up treasure hunting through ancient tombs with him, the franchise becoming a dormant artifact at Universal has always felt a little tragic. But the sands are shifting again. The Mummy 4 is actually happening, and Fraser is opening up about why this is the sequel he’s been holding out for over two decades.
In a new conversation with the Associated Press, Fraser talked about how the series veered away from the story he originally hoped to tell after The Mummy Returns. His reflections shed light on why The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor took such a sharp turn and why he’s so energized about returning now. As he explained:
“The one I wanted to make was never made. The third one was a model of … how can I say this to the AP reporter? NBC had the rights to broadcast the Olympics that year. So they put two together and we went to China.
“Working in Shanghai, an incredible experience. I’m proud of the third one because I think it’s a good standalone movie. We picked up and did what we do with a different crew on deck and gave it our best shot.”
Fans have long recognized that Tomb of the Dragon Emperor felt like a major pivot, and Fraser’s comments confirm what many suspected. He clearly respected the work and the team, but it wasn’t the path he imagined for Rick O’Connell.
After the highs, lows, and reinvention that led to his Oscar-winning comeback, Fraser says the version he always dreamed of is finally the one heading into production, and he didn’t hesitate to express how meaningful that is to him:
“But the one I wanted to make is forthcoming. And I’ve been waiting 20 years for this call. Sometimes it was loud, sometimes it was a faint telegraph. Now? It’s time to give the fans what they want.”
For a generation that followed the actor’s work over the years, this next chapter feels like a perfect homecoming. His connection to Rick O’Connell has always been genuine, and this new film promises to return to the heart of what made the franchise so fun in the first place.
A fourth movie shaped around Fraser’s original idea has the chance to deliver both nostalgic adventure and something entirely new, and it’s cool to see him so excited about it.
The movie is set to be directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the filmmaking duo known collectively as Radio Silence. Their resume includes Devil’s Due, Ready or Not, Scream (2022), Scream VI, and Abigail.
I’m very excited to see what story this next film ends up telling!