The Mummy 4: Obsession Star Michael Johnston in Talks to Join Brendan Fraser Sequel

Update on "The Mummy 4": After it was revealed that the original trio of Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, and John Hannah will return for the new movie, a potential new cast member has now emerged. According to multiple media reports, "Obsession" star Michael Johnston is in talks for the fourth film in the horror franchise.

It remains unclear what role the actor is being considered for. Universal Pictures has not yet commented on Johnston's potential casting. According to the industry magazines Deadline and Variety, the discussions are still in the "early talks" stage.

Thanks to the surprise success of "Obsession", Johnston is currently the talk of the town. Before making a name for himself in Hollywood with the horror hit, Johnston was part of the ensemble cast of the teen series "Teen Wolf," among other projects. The new "Mummy" movie could now be the actor's next blockbuster. He would be the first true newcomer to the sequel. Brendan Fraser reprises his iconic role as Rick O'Connell, Rachel Weisz stars as Evelyn, and John Hannah plays her brother Jonathan.

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, also known as "Radio Silence," are directing. The duo made a name for themselves with the horror film "Ready or Not," among other projects, and most recently worked on new installments in the "Scream" series. The screenplay is by David Coggeshall, who also wrote "Orphan: First Kill," among other films.

The release date for "The Mummy 4" has already been announced. To the delight of fans, the film's release was recently moved up by a good half a year. Instead of May 2028, the theatrical release is now scheduled for October 15, 2027.

The previous movie is apparently not canon

With Rachel Weisz's return as Evelyn, a key question arises within the "Mummy" franchise: How should the third film in the series be handled? We're talking about "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor." As a reminder, this film follows on from "The Mummy" (1999) and "The Mummy Returns". While Rachel Weisz played the role of Evelyn in the first two films, the character was recast with Maria Bello for the third installment. Brendan Fraser, John Hannah, and Arnold Vosloo, on the other hand, reprised their familiar roles.

For Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, this recasting plays a key role. The directing duo discussed this in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. When asked whether "Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" is part of the canon for their film, their answer was extremely brief: Rachel Weisz is in their film. For them, that settles the matter. In other words, the third film will apparently not be taken into account for "The Mummy 4". Instead, the new film will likely build exclusively on the events of the first two films.

At the same time, Bettinelli-Olpin commented on the script for the new "Mummy" film:

"[The script] had all of the heart and the character that you could hope for. I don't think Brendan and Rachel are getting involved unless they love that script, and what they read, I think they really liked. And it's a good script. It's gonna be fun to make."

The Mummy Series

Even though many fans immediately think of Brendan Fraser when they hear the title "The Mummy," the 1999 film was by no means the first of its kind. As early as 1932, Universal released the first "The Mummy" film in theaters, starring Boris Karloff as Imhotep, thereby laying the foundation for one of the most famous horror franchises of all time. Even after the Fraser series, attempts were made to revive the franchise with Tom Cruise—though with little success.

The popular 1999 "Mummy" movie followed adventurer Rick O'Connell, who discovers the legendary lost city of Hamunaptra alongside librarian Evelyn Carnahan and her brother Jonathan. There, they accidentally awaken the powerful Imhotep and must stop his ancient curse from plunging the world into chaos.

It was precisely this successful blend of adventure, action, horror, humor, and a dash of romance that made the film a worldwide success. Together with "The Mummy Returns," the Fraser series became a cult classic that many fans still consider the best adaptation of the source material to this day. We can now look forward with anticipation to what the new "Mummy" movie has in store for us.