KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 — The Mummy franchise has had its highs — and its share of creative misfires.
The original The Mummy (1932), directed by Karl Freund and starring Boris Karloff, launched a culturally influential legacy, spawning numerous sequels and adaptations over the decades.
For many audiences worldwide — including in Malaysia — the version that endures is The Mummy (1999), written and directed by Stephen Sommers.
Widely popular upon its global release, it was the kind of film you’d find sold out in VCD shops at the time.
That revitalisation of the 1932 classic hit with charm, humour and adventure, brought to life by a cast including Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Kevin J. O’Connor and Oded Fehr.
The story follows an ancient, cursed priest accidentally resurrected, unleashing supernatural terror, as a daring adventurer and a resourceful librarian race to stop him.
Its success led to two sequels, a spin-off and a fourth film reportedly planned for release in 2028.
Sommers’ take has shaped audience expectations of what a Mummy film should be for years. It became the defining formula, making it difficult to imagine the genre done differently.
Even the 2017 version starring Tom Cruise — intended to launch the “Dark Universe” — largely followed a similar approach.
Now, in 2026, director Lee Cronin enters with a new vision that redefines what a Mummy film can be.
This latest version follows Katie Cannon, the young daughter of a journalist named Charlie Cannon, who disappears into the desert without a trace.
Eight years later, her fractured family is stunned when she is suddenly found — but what should be a joyful reunion quickly turns into a living nightmare.
The cast includes Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace, Verónica Falcón, May Elghety, Shylo Molina, Billie Roy and Emily Mitchell.
A franchise reset, not a refresh
Malay Mail attended the premiere screening at TGV Cinemas, Sunway Pyramid, where it became clear this isn’t The Mummy audiences are used to.
Cronin delivers a bold reimagining that strips away the globe-trotting adventure and replaces it with something far more intimate — and unsettling.
Rather than a high-stakes race to save the world, the story centres on a family trapped in a deeply personal nightmare, struggling to uncover the truth and save one of their own from a terrifying curse.
This shift gives the film a stronger emotional core, grounding the horror in something painfully human.
The film also leans heavily into body horror and jump scares, with several moments difficult to watch.
Yet what lingers isn’t just the fear — it’s the emotional weight behind it.
Themes of love, loss and desperation elevate the film beyond standard genre fare.
In the end, Cronin’s The Mummy feels like a turning point.
Much like The Invisible Man (2020), it shows how a classic monster story can be reinvented for modern audiences in a way that feels fresh, daring and unexpectedly affecting.
Cronin’s playbook: Swing big, go dark
Cronin told Variety he wanted to swing for the fences with the film.
He also admitted he didn’t watch a single Mummy film until after writing his script, later revisiting the Boris Karloff original.
“But there wasn’t any major influence from those particular places, apart from great respect and reverence.
“The two movies I kept going back to and thinking about were Seven and Poltergeist,” he said in that interview.
While opinions differ, the film has sparked discussion both in Malaysia and internationally, with its conversational style standing out.
“There is much more Raimi-esque bleak humor, defenestration, a ton of bugs, and a frustrating plethora of clichés,” added Deadline.
The release of Cronin’s The Mummy further cements him as a filmmaker skilled at reinventing modern horror.
His previous work on the fifth Evil Dead (2023) received positive reviews and grossed US$147 million worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing entry in the franchise.
His 2019 debut feature, The Hole in the Ground, was also well received, praised for its unsettling exploration of parental fear.
The Mummy is his latest release, produced by Atomic Monster and Blumhouse Productions and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
It opened in cinemas nationwide on April 16 and is currently screening.
