After a century of Hollywood, the industry is still trying to understand and adapt to an ever-evolving audience. As we enter an era of peak remake and IP-grab filmmaking, stories from decades ago have become the studios’ easiest bets to make money. It’s not fertile ground for creativity, but we movie fans have to take our wins where we can.
One such concept primed for a big return is The Mummy, which itself is more focused on a somewhat generic horror character with a long cinematic history. In 1999, a fun and romantic interpretation of The Mummy redefined the core concept for a generation of viewers. Starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, the film launched a franchise and became a gateway into the action-adventure genre.
A new sequel has been announced, getting fans carefully excited. Production on The Mummy: The Book of the Dead kicked off early last month, with a release scheduled for late 2027. Directed by Radio Silence, the filmmaking duo behind Ready or Not and the Scream reboot, the film reunites the original cast, including Fraser, Weisz, and John Hannah.
The 1999 movie is also streaming for free on YouTube, making this the perfect time to revisit or watch this formative Millennial classic for the first time. The Mummy is set in the mid-1920s in Egypt, where Rick O’Connell (Fraser), an American in the French Foreign Legion, is imprisoned and sentenced to be hanged. His luck changes after Evelyn Carnahan (Weisz) miraculously comes to his aid, bargaining with the warden and securing his release.
She and her brother Jonathan (Hannah) have a puzzle box containing a map of Hamunaptra, the lost City of the Dead said to hold the pharaoh’s treasure. The two believe O’Connell can best guide them to the site. While on their search, Evelyn finds a locked black book hidden in the ruins.
It’s the Book of the Dead, an ancient text with the power to bring the dead back to life. She reads a passage and unknowingly awakens Imhotep (Arnold Vosloo), a high priest from ancient Egypt, hell-bent on reviving his lover, Anck-su-namun (Patricia Velasquez). There’s nothing revolutionary about The Mummy’s plot, but it’s efficient, taking our heroes from place to place at a zippy pace, complemented by good jokes and serviceable action.
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