Universal Pictures is revisiting one of its most iconic action-adventure properties.

Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are in talks to return for a new installment of ‘The Mummy’ franchise, likely stepping back into the roles that made them international stars in the late ’90s and early 2000s.

The studio has declined to comment and is keeping the story details tightly secret. What is known so far is that Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett of the Radio Silence filmmaking collective are set to direct, working from a script by David Coggeshall (‘The Family Plan,’ ‘The Deliverance’). Longtime franchise producer Sean Daniel will return, joined by William Sherak, James Vanderbilt, and Paul Neinstein of Project X Entertainment.

This movie marks another collaboration between Radio Silence and Project X, who recently worked together on the ‘Scream’ franchise reboot. While the filmmakers did not direct ‘Scream 7’—due next year—Project X is producing it. Project X also partnered with Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett on ‘Ready or Not: Here I Come,’ a horror follow-up for Searchlight.

Fraser and Weisz previously co-led two installments: 1999’s ‘The Mummy’ and 2001’s ‘The Mummy Returns.’ Both films, directed by Stephen Sommers and inspired by one of Universal’s classic movie monsters, each earned more than $400 million worldwide. Fraser played Rick O’Connell, a daring ex-soldier turned explorer, while Weisz portrayed Evelyn Carnahan, an Egyptologist from the Cairo Museum of Antiquities. Their characters evolve from reluctant allies to a married couple with a son, battling ancient and supernatural threats — including the resurrected priest Imhotep. In the second film, Evelyn is revealed to be the reincarnation of an Egyptian princess; she dies at one point but is brought back to life by Rick.

Their films were so successful that they helped elevate Fraser to A-list status and spawned theme park attractions at Universal Studios Hollywood, Orlando, and Singapore. The universe expanded with Dwayne Johnson’s 2002 spinoff ‘The Scorpion King,’ which earned more than $180 million worldwide, and 2008’s ‘The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.’ That film brought back Fraser but not Weisz, and was directed by Rob Cohen, grossing another $403 million globally.

Universal attempted another reboot in 2017 with Tom Cruise starring in ‘The Mummy,’ intended to launch a new shared universe called the Dark Universe. Although the movie made $409 million worldwide, it was poorly received by critics, prompting the studio to abandon its broader monster-universe plans.

With the surge of nostalgia for Fraser, especially after his Best Actor Oscar win for ‘The Whale,’ and a renewed interest in the original ‘Mummy’ films, returning to this franchise seems like a strategic move. The studio has struggled to find box-office success with recent monster-themed titles, including ‘Abigail,’ the latest film directed by Radio Silence.

Fraser is currently experiencing a renaissance in his career. After his Oscar win, he is back on the awards circuit with Searchlight’s ‘Rental Family,’ directed by Hikari and releasing November 21.

Weisz, also an Academy Award winner, recently starred in Prime Video’s ‘Dead Ringers’ and Marvel’s ‘Black Widow.’

MORE NEWS