The sands of Hollywood are shifting once again, as Universal Pictures has officially announced the return of two of cinema’s most beloved adventurers: Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz will reprise their iconic roles as Rick and Evelyn O’Connell in the long-anticipated The Mummy 4. After months of speculation and swirling rumors, the studio confirmed on February 11, 2026, that the new installment will hit theaters worldwide on May 19, 2028, marking a triumphant comeback for a franchise that has captivated audiences for nearly three decades (according to Variety and Deadline).
The directorial reins have been handed to Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the filmmaking duo known as Radio Silence, whose recent horror hits include the rebooted Scream series and the vampire thriller Abigail. The screenplay for this fresh chapter comes from David Coggeshall, whose credits include The Family Plan and Orphan: First Kill. While plot details remain tightly under wraps—no surprise for a franchise built on ancient secrets and hidden tombs—the creative team is hinting at a return to the sweeping, scary, and fun tone that made the original films so memorable. As Gillett told Empire Online, “Having stepped into Scream, our radar for jumping into another franchise is that it has to feel special. And [David Coggeshall’s] script really does that. It is very beautiful and sweeping and scary and fun.”
The return of Fraser and Weisz is a particularly sweet victory for fans. The duo’s chemistry in 1999’s The Mummy and 2001’s The Mummy Returns helped catapult both actors to stardom and redefined what a blockbuster action-adventure could be at the turn of the millennium. Those two films grossed over $400 million each at the worldwide box office—a figure that balloons to nearly $800 million apiece when adjusted for inflation, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Their on-screen partnership became the heart and soul of the franchise, spawning theme park attractions and the spin-off The Scorpion King, which itself pulled in just shy of $179 million globally on a $60 million budget.
While Fraser returned solo for 2008’s The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor—a film that still managed a $403 million haul—Weisz’s absence was deeply felt by longtime fans. Her return, then, is more than just a casting coup; it’s a restoration of the franchise’s original magic. As Nerdist notes, the original Mummy is widely regarded as a classic, and many hope this new entry will recapture that spirit. Fraser himself has long expressed his desire to make this movie, telling reporters in the past that the idea for The Mummy 4 is “the one I wanted to make,” but never got to—until now.
Behind the scenes, the film boasts a production team stacked with franchise veterans and fresh talent alike. Sean Daniel, who has produced every Mummy film since the 1999 reboot (including the 2017 Tom Cruise-led attempt at a shared “Dark Universe”), is back as producer. William Sherak, James Vanderbilt, and Paul Neinstein are producing through Project X Entertainment, a frequent collaborator with Radio Silence. Fraser himself, along with Jason F. Brown and Denis Stewart, is stepping into an executive producer role, signaling a deep commitment to the project’s creative direction. Universal’s EVP of Production Development, Jay Polidoro, and Director of Production Development, Jacqueline Garell, are overseeing the project for the studio (Variety).
To date, the Mummy franchise has grossed an astonishing $1.8 billion worldwide, according to Deadline and Variety. That figure includes not just the original trilogy, but also the spin-off The Scorpion King and the ill-fated 2017 reboot. The enduring popularity of these films has kept them in the public imagination, inspiring everything from Halloween costumes to internet memes—and, of course, persistent fan campaigns for another sequel.
Oded Fehr, who played Ardeth Bay, the stoic chief of the Medjai, is another familiar face fans are hoping to see return. When asked about a possible appearance in The Mummy 4, Fehr told SFFGazette.com, “I’ve heard many things from a lot of people. I have not been officially approached, but I’ve heard many things from many people. I’m assuming it’s going to happen, and I’m probably as excited as you are about it.” He added, “Big responsibility to try and make a movie that the fans will love as much as the first two, which are the only ones that are important, really. Yeah, I don’t know. The Mummy made me into a working actor, and I love the film. I mean, I love the franchise. I think it still holds up wonderfully, and I love the people that I got to work with. So it’d be incredible to get to do that again.”
Radio Silence’s involvement is a bold move by Universal, signaling a desire to inject new energy into the franchise without losing what made it special. The directing duo’s recent success with horror and action blends has studio executives optimistic about their ability to balance adventure, scares, and humor. Their next project, Ready or Not 2: Here I Come, is set to premiere at SXSW in March 2026, keeping them in the spotlight as anticipation for The Mummy 4 builds.
The road to this moment has been anything but straightforward. Universal’s 2017 attempt to reboot The Mummy with Tom Cruise was meant to launch a shared “Dark Universe,” but the film’s box office disappointment quickly shelved those plans. Meanwhile, a separate, unrelated low-budget Mummy film from Blumhouse (directed by Lee Cronin) is set for release this year, but has no connection to the Fraser-Weisz saga. For many fans, the announcement of The Mummy 4 is not just a return, but a course correction—a chance to revisit the blend of action, romance, and supernatural spectacle that made the franchise such a hit in the first place.
As for what’s next, Universal is keeping its secrets buried for now. But with Fraser and Weisz back in the lead, a proven creative team at the helm, and a release date locked in for summer 2028, the stage is set for a blockbuster resurrection. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer to the sands of Hamunaptra, one thing’s certain: adventure is calling, and The Mummy is ready to rise again.