Universal Studio has hired Len Wiseman to bring new life to one of their iconic monster franchise – The Mummy. Wiseman will be working from a script by Prometheus scripter Jon Spaihts for a targeted 2014 release.
Wiseman is no stranger to classic monster movie territory having launched the werewolves-versus-vampires movie series Underworld. In a statement to Deadline, he stated –
When I first heard Universal was relaunching this, that is the image that popped into my head, the period tale, the old monster, but when Bob and Alex pitched it, there was a great new take and approach, and a very different mummy as well. It’s a darker twist on the material, a scarier version.
The Mummy was one of several horror franchises that were a cornerstone of Universal Studio’s output in the 1930s. The last time Universal resurrected The Mummy was for a trilogy of films starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz and which leaned more towards light-hearted adventure rather than horror.
Supposedly this new take on the material will be darker than the Frasier trilogy. Actual story details are still be closely guarded, though Kurtzman hinted –
Without saying too much, we’ve drawn a lot of inspiration from Michael Crichton’s books, and how he ground fantastical tales in modern-day science.
Wiseman added –
One of the things that interested me with this mummy is, he’s still in essence a man. They haven’t turned his brain into a monster brain. He still has a personality and is very cunning and calculating. He’s a true character in any form, and in creature form, even if he is that staggering creature, it becomes more important that he’s a thinking, calculating person.
While a science-created horror seems more in the realm of Frankenstein than it does The Mummy, I have to admit that this does sound like an approach that could yield some interesting results. We may found out as early as summer 2014, which is when the studio is shooting to get the film in theaters.
