The New ‘Mummy’ Movie May Be Ignoring ‘Tomb of the Dragon Emperor’ Canon

Franchise revivals often raise a challenging question: which elements of the original narrative still hold significance? Few reboots face this dilemma as directly as Universal’s revival of its cherished turn-of-the-century adventure series, particularly given the divisive nature of one specific installment.

The original ‘Mummy’ from 1999 and its 2001 sequel became true blockbuster sensations, thanks to the dynamic chemistry between Brendan Fraser’s Rick O’Connell and Rachel Weisz’s Evelyn Carnahan as they confronted a resurrected Egyptian priest. However, the franchise’s third film took a different direction when Weisz opted not to return, shifting the setting from Egypt to China under a new director.

With Fraser and Weisz now officially back for the fourth installment, currently in production with directing duo Radio Silence, it seems the film is bypassing that contentious third chapter entirely, picking up the narrative as if it follows directly after ‘The Mummy Returns.’

Directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett tackled the continuity question directly when asked if ‘The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor’ would be part of their new film’s canon. Bettinelli-Olpin responded pointedly, telling Entertainment Weekly that Weisz is in this one, with Gillett adding that the implication should be clear.

While this response doesn’t explicitly confirm anything, it leaves little room for doubt. Weisz’s absence in the 2008 film, where Maria Bello took over the role of Evelyn, has long been viewed as a reason why the third installment is often seen as the weakest in the series. Her return now indicates that Radio Silence may treat that recasting and the film surrounding it as if it never occurred.

Fraser has openly shared his mixed feelings about the third film in previous interviews, noting that the movie he envisioned was never made. He explained how NBC’s Olympic broadcasting rights that year influenced the decision to move the story to China, describing the experience as worthwhile, even though it wasn’t the film he had originally hoped to create.

This distancing from ‘Tomb of the Dragon Emperor’ goes beyond just the cast. The film’s departure from Egypt, the change in lead director to Rob Cohen, and its relatively lukewarm critical reception have made it an easy chapter for the franchise to sidestep now that its original stars are reuniting.

Filming for the new installment officially commenced this week, with Universal announcing a theatrical release date of October 15, 2027. This date is notably earlier than the previously reported target of May 2028, indicating the studio’s eagerness to present this reunion to audiences sooner.

John Hannah is also confirmed to reprise his role as Evelyn’s brother Jonathan, alongside franchise favorites Kevin J. O’Connor as Beni and Oded Fehr as Ardeth Bay. This further reinforces that the new chapter is building directly off the world established in the first two films, rather than anything introduced in the contentious third entry.

With Weisz back on board and the directors all but confirming that the franchise’s most polarizing chapter has been quietly omitted from continuity, ‘The Mummy’ seems poised to deliver the direct sequel that longtime fans have been yearning for since 2001. Whatever storyline Radio Silence has in store, it appears deeply rooted in the world that captivated audiences over two decades ago.

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