While the trend toward shared universes in modern filmmaking started when Marvel released ‘Iron Man’ in 2008, the idea goes back much farther than that. Perhaps the first shared universe in American cinema can be credited to Universal. While arguably not the same sort of shared continuity we expect today, the studio began crossing over the stars of their various classic monster movies in the 1940s, once the powers that be realized how cool it would be if Frankenstein met Dracula.
Now, Universal is looking to bring that basic concept into the present day by building a shared continuity around updated versions of their classic monster movies. The first of these is a reboot of ‘The Mummy’, due next summer. While the project has been gaining hype and momentum for some time, the studio has now released the first footage from the film in the form of a brief teaser, which introduces both the leading man (played by Tom Cruise) and the Mummy herself. Additionally, the teaser reveals the film’s tagline (itself referencing the 1935 classic ‘Bride of Frankenstein’) and promises a full trailer on Sunday.
The teaser is available here:
In addition to the trailer, we also have a new poster and an official summary:
Thought safely entombed in a tomb deep beneath the unforgiving desert, an ancient princess (Sofia Boutella of ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’ and ‘Star Trek Beyond’) whose destiny was unjustly taken from her is awakened in our current day, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia and terrors that defy human comprehension.
From the sweeping sands of the Middle East through hidden labyrinths under modern-day London, ‘The Mummy’ brings a surprising intensity and balance of wonder and thrills in an imaginative new take that ushers in a new world of gods and monsters.
What do you think of the trailer? Are you looking forward to the reboot of ‘The Mummy’?Let us know in the comments, and be sure to check back with ScienceFiction.com for more on ‘The Mummy’ and the wider Universal Monsters shared universe project as it becomes available.
Directed by Alex Kurtzman, ‘The Mummy’ stars Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella, Annabelle Wallis, Jake Johnson, Courtney B. Vance, and Russell Crowe. The film is scheduled for release on June 9, 2017.
