The Mummy 4 directors reveals why The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is no longer canon in the franchise
The Mummy 4 won't be picking up where the third entry in the franchise left off...
The Mummy 4 directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have opened up about why The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor won’t be canon to the next instalment.
The upcoming entry in the franchise, which is being directed by the Radio Silence duo from a script by David Coggeshal, will reunite Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz as Rick and Evelyn O’Connell, who appeared together in The Mummy (1999) and reprised their roles in a 2001 sequel The Mummy Returns.
When a third movie – The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor – was greenlit in 2008, however, Weisz didn't return as Evelyn, with Maria Bello replacing her as the character.
Asked if they consider The Tomb of the Dragon Emperor canon to their new movie, Olpin told Entertainment Weekly in a new interview: "Well, Rachel is in this one."
Gillett added: "That should answer the question for you."
The directors didn’t provide any exact plot details about the upcoming film, but teased that it had "all of the heart and the character that you could hope for".
Fraser previously said of the franchise: “The one I wanted to make was never made."
He told Associated Press in November: “The third one was a model of … how can I say this to the AP reporter? NBC had the rights to broadcast the Olympics that year."
He continued: “So they put two together and we went to China. Working in Shanghai, an incredible experience. I’m proud of the third one because I think it’s a good standalone movie. We picked up and did what we do with a different crew on deck and gave it our best shot.
"But the one I wanted to make is forthcoming. And I’ve been waiting 20 years for this call. Sometimes it was loud, sometimes it was a faint telegraph. Now? It’s time to give the fans what they want.”
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The Mummy 4 is set to be released in cinemas on 19 May 2028.
The first three films in The Mummy franchise are currently available to stream on Sky Movies and NOW.
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Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
