Last year, Universal Pictures’ The Mummy lost formerly-attached director Len Wiseman (Underworld) due to scheduling conflicts. He was soon replaced by Mama helmer Andres Muschietti, but TheWrap is now reporting that Muschietti has also departed the franchise reboot, this time due to creative differences. The outlet reports that Muschietti wanted a darker take on the property than the family-friendly film that Universal now has in mind.
Scripted by Prometheus screenwriter Jon Spaihts, The Mummy is a reboot of the Universal franchise, which dates back more than eight decades. The studio originally released The Mummy in 1932 and followed it with four sequels between then and 1944, including The Mummy’s Hand, The Mummy’s Tomb, The Mummy’s Ghost and The Mummy’s Curse. In 1955, the studio spoofed the property with Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy and then left the franchise dormant until a big screen reboot in 1999.
Directed by Stephen Sommers, the new The Mummy was followed by The Mummy Returns in 2001 and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor in 2008. A spin-off series, meanwhile, began on the big screen with 2002’s The Scorpion King and moved to home video for two sequels, the most recent of which, The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption, was released in 2012.
Sean Daniels, Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci are attached to produce. Unlike previous “Mummy” films, the reboot is said to be set in modern day.
