is tom cruise mummy a sequel

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“The Mummy 2”: understand why the film with Tom Cruise did not have a sequel

The reboot of ‘The Mummy 2’ was supposed to kick off a new shared universe, but after failing among critics and disappointing at the box office , the entire project was scrapped.

When announced, the film would be the first in a trilogy starring Tom Cruise, which would also be linked to Dark Universe – a monster saga planned by Universal Pictures.

Although it raised $ 408 million worldwide, the feature only earned $ 80 million in the United States. With the huge budget of $ 125 million, the return did not justify the investment.

Finally, “The Mummy 2” and Dark Universe have been canceled.

When the film was released, editor-in-chief Renato Marafon arrived in Mexico City to interview the very likeable Tom Cruise .

In an interview with THR, director Alex Kurtzman spoke about the production and the mistakes he learned from its failure.

Enjoy watching:

“The mummy 2 is not what I wanted it to be. I am no longer involved in it and have no idea what is going on. I look back now and what seemed painful at the time turned out to be a blessing. I’ve learned that I have to follow my own instincts and when I can’t do it, I don’t think I can be successful.

He adds, “[ Os filmes de monstros da Universal ] they are beautiful because the monsters are imperfect characters and we see ourselves in them. I hope these are the films they will make; I want to see them.”

Tom Cruise, Annabelle Wallis, Sofia Boutella, Russell Crowe and Jake Johnson are the stars.

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‘the mummy’ reboot director calls the tom cruise film “the biggest failure of my life”.

Alex Kurtzman admitted there are "a million things" he regrets about the 2017 movie that also starred Russell Crowe and Sofia Boutella.

By Ryan Gajewski

Ryan Gajewski

Senior Entertainment Reporter

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Alex Kurtzman is no longer keeping his feelings about making The Mummy under wraps.

Kurtzman, who is a writer, director and executive producer on Showtime’s new sci-fi series The Man Who Fell to Earth , opened up to the Bingeworthy podcast on Friday about his “brutal” experience as helmer of the Tom Cruise -starring film that was an intended reboot of the Mummy franchise. The project, which was released in June 2017 and had been envisioned as launching Universal’s cinematic Dark Universe focusing on the studio’s movie monsters, was unsuccessful critically and commercially , and Kurtzman hasn’t directed a feature since.

“I tend to subscribe to the point of view that you learn nothing from your successes, and you learn everything from your failures,” Kurtzman said. “And that was probably the biggest failure of my life, both personally and professionally. There’s about a million things I regret about it, but it also gave me so many gifts that are inexpressibly beautiful. I didn’t become a director until I made that movie, and it wasn’t because it was well-directed — it was because it wasn’t.”

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Kurtzman, who previously worked as a writer on such movies as Transformers (2007), Star Trek (2009) and Cowboys & Aliens (2011), said he understands more about filmmaking after having gone through that process.

“And as brutal as it was, in many ways, and as many cooks in the kitchen as there were, I am very grateful for the opportunity to make those mistakes because it rebuilt me into a tougher person, and it also rebuilt me into a clearer filmmaker,” he shared. “And that has been a real gift, and I feel those gifts all the time because I’m very clear now when I have a feeling that doesn’t feel right — I am not quiet about it anymore. I will literally not proceed when I feel that feeling. It’s not worth it to me. And you can’t get to that place of gratitude until you’ve had that kind of experience.”

Jenny Lumet, who is also a writer and executive producer on The Man Who Fell to Earth , was a guest with Kurtzman on the podcast. Lumet, who has a story credit on The Mummy , said she is “very grateful” to have worked on the film and added, “I don’t think that I could be here now without that experience.”

The Hollywood Reporter’ s 2017 review of The Mummy , which also starred Russell Crowe, Annabelle Wallis and Sofia Boutella, called the film an “inauspicious beginning to a would-be franchise.” It currently holds a 16 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

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The Mummy Director Talks How The Tom Cruise Movie Was Beneficial For Him Despite Being His 'Biggest Failure'

The Mummy failed to launch the shared Dark Universe.

Universal Pictures’ Dark Universe franchise collapsed at the same place it began: with 2017’s The Mummy , starring Tom Cruise (one of two movies he appeared in that year, the other being American Made ). This take on the classic horror franchise was primarily met with negative reviews and was considered a commercial disappointment, and director Alex Kurtzman considers it his “biggest failure.” That being said, he still found helming The Mummy to be beneficial for some key reasons.

In addition to sitting in The Mummy ’s directorial chair, Alex Kurtzman also hashed out the story with Jenney Lumet and Jon Spaihts. Kurtzman and Lumet are now making the press rounds plugging their latest collaboration, the Showtime series The Man Who Fell to Earth , which is serves as a legacy sequel to the same-named 1976 movie starring David Bowie. While speaking with The Playlist , Kurtzman addressed his “painful” time on The Mummy , saying:

I tend to subscribe to the point of view that you learn nothing from your successes, and you learn everything from your failures. And that was probably the biggest failure of my life, both personally and professionally. There are about a million things I regret about it, but it also gave me so many gifts that are inexpressibly beautiful. I didn’t become a director until I made that movie, and it wasn’t because it was well directed – it was because it wasn’t.

Following nine years after the release of The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor , the last entry in the Brendan Fraser-led Mummy film series (could that get a relaunch someday?) , this new version of The Mummy starred Sofia Boutella as Ahmanet, the title character who Tom Cruise’s Nick Morton, Annabelle Wallis’ Jenny Halsey and others had to battle across the globe. The Mummy also laid foundation for the wider Dark Universe, specifically through Russell Crowe ’s Dr. Henry Jekyll/Mr. Edward Hyde and the secret society known as Prodigium. In addition to The Mummy ’s ending teasing a sequel, other movies that were set to exist in the Dark Universe continuity included Bride of Frankenstein, The Wolfman and The Invisible Man . 

Alas, the combination of The Mummy ’s poor critical reception and only making $410 million worldwide resulted in Universal Pictures writing off the Dark Universe as a “failed” experiment and turning it into a general banner encompassing standalone movies focused on the studios classic monsters. Despite his regrets with how The Mummy turned out, Alex Kurtzman is thankful he was able to direct the movie, as the mistakes he made there have informed how he’s tackled later projects. In his words:

And as brutal as it was, in many ways, and as many cooks in the kitchen as there were, I am very grateful for the opportunity to make those mistakes because it rebuilt me into a tougher person and it also rebuilt me into a clearer filmmaker. And that has been a real gift and I feel those gifts all the time because I’m very clear now when I have a feeling that doesn’t feel right – I am not quiet about it anymore. I will literally not proceed when I feel that feeling. It’s not worth it to me. And you can’t get to that place of gratitude until you’ve had that kind of experience. Look, if you look at history and you look at people who’ve made amazing things, every single one of them will tell you the same story which is that it came after a failure, so I look back on it now with gratitude. It took me a while to get there, but my life is better for it.

The Mummy is one of two movies Alex Kurtzman has directed, having made his directorial debut with 2012’s People Like Us . Along with The Man Who Fell to Earth , Kurtzman has kept busy in recent years with the Star Trek TV shows Discovery , Picard and Strange New Worlds , and he and Lumet also created the short-lived CBS series Clarice . As far as the new Dark Universe goes, 2020’s reimagined version of The Invisible Man kicked off that run, and upcoming entries under that banner include Renfield , the Ryan Gosling -led Wolfman reboot and Dark Army (assuming Paul Feig can get it made) .

The Man Who Fell to Earth premieres Sunday, April 24 on Showtime, and Renfield , the next Universal Monsters movie on the docket, comes out on April 14, 2023. Take a look through the 2022 movie releases to figure out what you’ll be watching later this year.

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Brendan Fraser shares his thoughts on Tom Cruise’s ‘The Mummy’

Brendan Fraser became a household name after starring the 1999 film “ The Mummy .”

The actor portrayed the adventurous Rick O’Connell in first movie, as well as in the 2001 sequel, “The Mummy Returns,” and third and final film released in 2008, “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.”

While the trilogy became a classic, the franchise was rebooted in 2017 with Tom Cruise as the lead. In a new interview with Variety, shared on Oct. 12, Fraser shared his thoughts on why the reboot didn't have the same appeal as his franchise.

“It is hard to make that movie,” the actor said. “The ingredient that we had going for our ‘Mummy,’ which I didn’t see in that film, was fun. That was what was lacking in that incarnation.”

“It was too much of a straight-ahead horror movie. ‘The Mummy’ should be a thrill ride, but not terrifying and scary,” Fraser continued. “I know how difficult it is to pull it off.”

Adding, “I tried to do it three times.”

The Cruise-led movie had a more serious tone than Fraser’s lighthearted action-adventure films and earned generally negative reviews from critics. The 2017 movie also failed to bring in the box office numbers it hoped to launch a new franchise, per Deadline.

Fraser’s franchise also paved the way for Dwayne Johnson’s “The Scorpion King” films after the former wrestler portrayed the Scorpion King in “The Mummy Returns.”

Johnson recently thanked Fraser — who has been earning critical acclaim for his latest film “The Whale” — for supporting him early in his career.

“Man this makes me so happy to see this beautiful ovation for Brendan. He supported me coming into his ‘Mummy Returns’ franchise for my first ever role, which kicked off my Hollywood career,” Johnson tweeted alongside a video of an emotional Fraser getting a standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival in September. “Rooting for all your success brother and congrats to my bud Darren Aronofsky. #TheWhale.”

As for Fraser, the actor was asked if he would be up for reprising his role in a fourth “The Mummy” film, to which he replied, “I don’t know how it would work.”

“But I’d be open to it if someone came up with the right conceit,” he said.

Liz Calvario is a Los Angeles-based reporter and editor for TODAY.com who covers entertainment, pop culture and trending news.

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The Mummy director brands Tom Cruise reboot ‘the biggest failure of my life’

‘there’s about a million things i regret about it, but it also gave me so many gifts that are inexpressibly beautiful,’ said filmmaker alex kurtzman, article bookmarked.

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The director of the 2017 version of The Mummy has described the film as “the biggest failure of my life”.

The film starred Tom Cruise as Nick Morton, an adventurer who unearths the tomb inhabited by the mummy, played by Sofia Boutella .

Originally intended to form part of a shared “ Dark Universe ” of films centring on various Classic Universal Monsters characters, 2017’s The Mummy was a critical and commercial disappointment.

After the film flopped at the box office, Universal’s planned “Dark Universe” was abandoned.

Speaking on the Bingeworthy podcast, director Alex Kurtzman reflected on the film’s legacy.

“I tend to subscribe to the point of view that you learn nothing from your successes, and you learn everything from your failures,” he said. “And [ The Mummy ] was probably the biggest failure of my life, both personally and professionally.

“There’s about a million things I regret about it, but it also gave me so many gifts that are inexpressibly beautiful. I didn’t become a director until I made that movie, and it wasn’t because it was well-directed – it was because it wasn’t.”

Describing the experience as “brutal”, Kurtzman also made reference to there being “many cooks in the kitchen” during the making of the film.

“I am very grateful for the opportunity to make those mistakes because it rebuilt me into a tougher person, and it also rebuilt me into a clearer filmmaker,” he continued.

“And that has been a real gift, and I feel those gifts all the time because I’m very clear now when I have a feeling that doesn’t feel right. I am not quiet about it anymore. I will literally not proceed when I feel that feeling. It’s not worth it to me. And you can’t get to that place of gratitude until you’ve had that kind of experience.”

The film has a 16 per cent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

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An ancient Egyptian princess is awakened from her crypt beneath the desert, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia and terrors that defy human comprehension. An ancient Egyptian princess is awakened from her crypt beneath the desert, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia and terrors that defy human comprehension. An ancient Egyptian princess is awakened from her crypt beneath the desert, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia and terrors that defy human comprehension.

• Alex Kurtzman
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• 1K User reviews
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• 4 wins & 18 nominations

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• Henry Jekyll

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• Trivia The zero gravity scene took sixty-four takes and was shot for two days in a special plane that was lined in padded green fabric covered in reference marks The plane would fly to a high altitude then dive along a parabolic path, falling at the same rate as the gravitational pull. This has been used for several films in the past, including Apollo 13 (1995) 22 years earlier. It was invented by NASA, where it was used for zero-G training for astronauts. Reportedly, a lot of the crew got nauseous during the scene and vomited, except for the main stars, Tom Cruise and Annabelle Wallis , who were really proud of the stunt.
• Goofs The god Set is referred to as the god of death, but in Egyptian mythology Set was the god of chaos and violence while Anubis, who was later replaced by Osiris was the god of death.

Dr. Henry Jekyll : Welcome to a new world of gods and monsters.

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• Alternate versions There are three distinct versions available: the worldwide theatrical release, with a runtime of "1h 51m (111 min)", a U.S. theatrical release running "1h 50m (110 min) ", and a special cut for India, with a runtime of "1h 50m (110 min)".
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We likely won’t ever see The Mummy 2 starring Tom Cruise

By stefani munro | nov 4, 2023.

The Mummy starring Tom Cruise has found a new lease on life since its recent addition to Netflix’s ever-expanding library. The 2017 action-adventure horror movie, a bold reboot of the original series with Brendon Fraser, introduced us to Nick Morton, portrayed by Tom Cruise, a daring treasure-hunting soldier who unwittingly awakens the vengeful ancient Egyptian princess, Ahmanet, played by the talented Sofia Boutella. The official synopsis for the movie, as per IMDb , reads:

"“An ancient Egyptian princess is awakened from her crypt beneath the desert, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia and terrors that defy human comprehension.”"

As the film now enjoys a new surge in viewership on Netflix, fans and newcomers alike are left wondering: Is there a sequel in the works?

Whether you’re a fan of the film, a newcomer considering a watch, or simply curious about the potential for a sequel, you’re in the right place! Join us as we unveil all the details you need to know about the possibility of The Mummy 2 with Tom Cruise below!

It’s unlikely we’ll see a sequel to The Mummy

According to reports , The Mummy starring Tom Cruise was initially envisioned as the kickoff to a grand shared universe of classic movie monsters, which would have included iconic characters like Frankenstein and Dracula. Unfortunately, the film fell short of critical acclaim and box office success, ultimately leading to the cancellation of the entire project.

So at this present time, it’s unlikely we will ever get The Mummy 2 starring Tom Cruise.

Despite this, The Mummy franchise boasts a dedicated and passionate fan base, particularly for the originals with Brendan Fraser. With the film’s resurgence on Netflix, there’s renewed interest in the series, sparking hopes for its revival. This could be the perfect moment to breathe new life into the franchise with a fresh ensemble of actors.

While it’s currently just a dream, there’s a collective desire to see the original cast return in some capacity to pass the torch to a new generation of adventurous archaeologists. The fate of The Mummy franchise remains uncertain, but only time will reveal whether it will rise from the crypt once more!

39 best Netflix movies to watch tonight (November 2023). dark. Next

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Tom Cruise–Starrer ‘The Mummy’ Was ‘Brutal’ Experience and ‘Biggest Failure of My Life,’ Says Director

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It’s taken years for director Alex Kurtzman to be able to fully unwrap the box office flop that was “ The Mummy .”

The 2017 Tom Cruise film was expected to kick off Universal’s Dark Universe franchise, extending to revivals of “The Bride of Frankenstein,” “Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde,” and “The Invisible Man” with Javier Bardem, Russell Crowe, and Johnny Depp attached to the respective projects. However, plans for the Dark Universe were scrapped after “The Mummy” failed to find life at the box office, making less than $32 million opening weekend on a budget of an estimated $190 million.

“I tend to subscribe to the point of view that you learn nothing from your successes, and you learn everything from your failures. And that was probably the biggest failure of my life, both personally and professionally,” Kurtzman told The Playlist’s  “Bingeworthy” podcast . “There are about a million things I regret about it, but it also gave me so many gifts that are inexpressibly beautiful.”

“The Mummy” stars Tom Cruise as a U.S. Army sergeant who accidentally unleashes ancient Egyptian princess Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella) into the modern world. Cruise reportedly had “an excessive amount of control” on the production, as industry insiders previously told Variety .

On “Bingeworthy,” Kurtzman admitted that production was “brutal” in part due to too “many cooks in the kitchen.”

Yet the “Man Who Fell to Earth” director added, “I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to make those mistakes because it rebuilt me into a tougher person, and it also rebuilt me into a clearer filmmaker, and that has been a real gift.”

Kurtzman continued, “I feel those gifts all the time because I’m very clear now — when I have a feeling that doesn’t feel right, I am not quiet about it anymore. I will literally not proceed when I feel that feeling. It’s not worth it to me. And you can’t get to that place of gratitude until you’ve had that kind of experience.”

He also credited “The Mummy” with making him a “real” director, saying, “I didn’t become a director until I made that movie, and it wasn’t because it was well directed — it was because it wasn’t. I would not have understood many of the things that I now understand about what it means to be a director had I not gone through that experience.”

According to “Shadow and Bone” creator Eric Heisserer, who was set to helm the Dark Universe’s “Van Helsing” installment, the Universal franchise was a mess behind-the-scenes . Heisserer previously told The Playlist that production meetings were comparable to Thanksgiving day family bickering.

“You had some people saying, ‘Should our monsters all be villains in these movies or can they all be heroes?'” Heisserer said. “And someone else would say, ‘We can build the plane when we fly it.’ And it’s me and Jon Spaihts at the table going, ‘That’s a terrible analogy. We don’t want to be on that plane. What are we doing here?'”

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Brendan Fraser Teases Hope for New 'The Mummy' Sequel With Subtle Shade at Tom Cruise

By Daniel S. Levine - October 13, 2022 05:56 pm EDT

Brendan Fraser  is the latest star on the cusp of a career renaissance thanks to his upcoming drama The Whale , but he is looking to get back to the franchise that made him a star. In a new Variety   interview, Fraser said he would be interested in playing adventurer Rick O'Connell again in a new Mummy movie if possible. He also explained why he thinks Tom Cruise's 2017 Mummy movie  bombed.

"I don't know how it would work... but I'd be open to it if someone came up with the right conceit," Fraser told Variety when asked about possibly making a third sequel to The Mummy . Fraser was not  asked to even make a cameo when Universal Pictures revived The Mummy again in 2017. Cruise starred as U.S. Army Sgt. Nick Morton, who had to deal with the consequences of opening a cursed mummy tomb.

"It is hard to make that movie," Fraser told Variety . "The ingredient that we had going for our Mummy , which I didn't see in that film, was fun. That was what was lacking in that incarnation. It was too much of a straight-ahead horror movie. The Mummy should be a thrill ride, but not terrifying and scary."

Cruise's Mummy movie was a critical and financial disaster for Universal. It did so poorly that Universal pulled the plug on a planned "Dark Universe" that would link all of its monster characters together. In April, director Alex Kurtzman said  there were "about a million things I regret" about the 2017 Mummy .

"I know how difficult it is to pull it off," Fraser told Variety . "I tried to do it three times."

Stephen Sommers, who directed Fraser's first two Mummy movies, told Variety that Fraser was the perfect actor in the late 1990s to play Rick O'Connell. "He could throw a punch and take a punch and he had a great sense of humor. You really like the guy. He never comes across as cocky or arrogant," Sommers said, before going on to praise Fraser for even doing his own stunts. "He was game for anything we threw at him."

The Mummy franchise dates back to 1932 when Universal released the original film. That movie spawned four sequels, plus the 1955 comedy Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy . Hammer Film Productions in the U.K. also produced a series of Mummy movies between 1959 and 1971. Universal revived the series again with Fraser's and Summers' first film in 1999. The Mummy Returns followed in 2001 and Rob Cohen's The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor opened in 2008.  

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How Tom Cruise's The Mummy will launch a Marvel-like reboot of the Universal Monsters

By Kwame Opam

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In the age of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, every studio wants a behemoth self-referential franchise to call its own. Last night, we got a look at Universal’s effort: a reboot of the classic Universal Monsters films, beginning with The Mummy . The lurching bandaged corpse of the past has been replaced with Tom Cruise, an ancient female mummy bent on global destruction, and an extravagant special effects budget.

Universal is serious about this franchise push, going so far as to lay groundwork in the very first trailer. “Welcome,” says Russell Crowe, “to a new world of gods and monsters.” But how does the studio plan to adapt eight-year-old properties to compete with Iron Man and the Skywalker family?

Let me explain:

Is Brendan Fraser involved?

What? No. The Mummy is a new take on the classic Universal Studios The Mummy franchise. It doesn’t in any fashion involve Brendan Fraser, but instead stars Tom Cruise as a military leader trying to stop the titular Mummy ( Star Trek Beyond ’s Sofia Boutella) from destroying London. It’s supposed to be an action-adventure movie with horror elements, but that’s all we really know about the plot at this point.

Universal is ready to take on Disney and Warner Bros.

However, the most interesting (or, depending on your opinion on the state of cinema, frustrating) aspect of the movie is that it’s meant to kick off a massive cinematic universe for the Universal Monsters.

Wait. You mean like what Marvel and Warner Bros. are doing with superheroes?

Yeah, basically.

So… Avengers but with Dracula and the Wolf Man.

Okay, I see you rolling your eyes, but… kind of. Essentially, The Mummy is being used to launch a large, interconnected story involving the classic monsters from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Movies about the Wolf Man, the Invisible Man, Abraham van Helsing, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and even the Bride of Frankenstein are already in early stages of development, and their stories will, in theory, intersect on film in the years ahead.

Russell Crowe appears to be the glue. In The Mummy , he plays a version of Dr. Jekyll (yes, that Dr. Jekyll) and is part of a group hunting for mythical monsters. So you can think of him as Universal’s take on Nick Fury.

Whether or not all these monsters will appear on-screen together is unclear, but don’t be surprised if they do at some point because that appears to be the endgame for this sort of undertaking.

Do we really need more cinematic universes? I mean there’s already a Transformers cinematic universe in the works...

I totally get your exhaustion, especially since Warner Bros.’ own DC Extended Universe hasn’t been exactly a critical darling. (Here’s hoping Wonder Woman changes that a bit.) But Universal seems to have learned from its mistakes, and as director Alex Kurtzman said during a recent press briefing , the team behind Monsters intends to establish characters independently, in more or less standalone films, before throwing them altogether. Which is to say that instead of jumping right into the Monsters equivalent of Batman v Superman and Justice League , we’re getting The Wolf Man and Van Helsing .

Universal has done crossovers before, but nothing this ambitious

Also, you can take heart in knowing that Universal has already pulled off a number of movie monster crossovers in the past.

Really? I thought Marvel basically invented that style.

Not exactly. While Marvel certainly perfected the sprawling meta-narrative featuring the same cast of characters, Universal was doing monster crossovers back in the ‘40s and ‘50s. The first was 1943’s Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man , and that spawned follow-ups like House of Dracula and House of Frankenstein, which featured the big players like Dracula and the Mummy.

Oh wow. Were they any good?

The original Monster films are excellent. The mash-ups, not so much. There’s certainly something to be said about goofy camp and how fun that can be. These movies weren’t exactly Oscar contenders, but they did make money, so Universal kept making them. You can chalk that up as the reason why they made the genre’s swan song Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein in 1948, where the comic duo run into all three of the studio’s big monsters, Frankenstein, Dracula, and the Wolf Man.

Speaking of Dracula, wasn’t there that Dracula Untold movie a few years back? Does that fit into this in any way?

Oh, you’re one of the few who remembers that one. Yes, back in 2014, Dracula Untold was meant to start the Universal Monsters Cinematic Universe. But seeing as it was both a commercial and critical failure, the studio wisely decided to start fresh .

‘Dracula Untold’ basically never happened

I personally think that’s a shame. As hacky as that movie was, Luke Evans was kind of compelling as a tragic Count Dracula.

And he made turning into bats look pretty cool.

I know, right?

Okay I think I get it now. Is it weird I wanna look up what Brendan Fraser is up to, though?

No. I’m watching Monkeybone clips as we speak.

The Matrix is coming back for a fifth movie

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More from this stream The Mummy: all the trailers, updates, and commentary for Universal's resurrection of the classic film

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What Brendan Fraser Has Said About A Possible ‘Mummy’ Sequel

Would Fraser return for a possible fourth 'The Mummy' movie? No, we're not counting the one starring Tom Cruise.

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1999 cult classic 'The Mummy' conquered hoards of fans with a killer mix of humor, romance and action and the perfect protagonists: Brendan Fraser as American adventurer Rick O'Connell and Rachel Weisz as librarian-turned-Egyptologist Evelyn Carnahan.

The film grossed over $416.4 million worldwide, spawning a prequel series with Dwayne Johnson and two direct sequels starring Fraser, reprising the role of Rick. As for Weisz, she only returned for the first sequel 'The Mummy Returns', while Evelyn was portrayed by Maria Bello in 'The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor'.

In 2017, Tom Cruise was surprisingly attached to a fourth sequel. 2017 film 'The Mummy' departed from the original story and ending up not grossing as much as the studios had hoped . After speculations about a fourth movie starring Fraser started circulating in 2021, it seems that another sequel to the original trilogy might happen one day. But would Fraser reprise the role of Rick? The 'Scrubs' actor seems to be on board.

Fans of 'The Mummy' have been calling for another sequel starring Fraser since the third movie was released in 2008.

In 2019, the actor was asked at a panel if he would don Rick's boots and bandana one more time.

Related: What Has Brendan Fraser Been Doing Since 'The Mummy'?

" Absolutely! " Fraser said during a panel at Fan Expo Canada (via 'comicbook.com').

The actor explained there was one condition on which he would return for a fourth movie, and it sounds like this premise could make for a great 'The Mummy' fourth installment.

"Just gotta say, I know how hard it is to make that movie," Fraser added.

"I tried to do it three times, and the essential ingredient is fun. You gotta remember to have fun. So if there's a fun way to approach it again, I'm all in."

And if Fraser would return to 'The Mummy' for a fourth film, chances are it'll be full of spectacular stunts.

The actor has had his fair share of on-set scares , as he recalled on the film's 20th anniversary in 2019. Fraser is talking about the scene where his character Rick is about to be publicly hung as Evie tries to barter for his life.

Related: 15 Precise Moments The Mummy Franchise Started To Suck

"I did get fully choked-out. It was scary, " Fraser told 'Entertainment Weekly' about one the stunts he performed on 'The Mummy'.

"Rick is dangling at the end of the rope, and he's such a tough guy that his neck didn’t snap. We did the wide shot, which was the stuntman going down, and he had a harness on, and it looked great. Then they've got to go in [for a close-up]. There was a hangman's gallows, and there was a hemp rope tied into a noose that was placed around my neck. The first take, I'm doing my best choking acting. Steve says, 'Can we got for another one and take up the tension on the rope?' I said, 'All right, one more take.'

"Because a noose around your neck's going to choke you in the arteries, no matter what. So, the stuntman took up the tension on the rope, and I went up on the balls of my feet, then I guess he took the tension up again, and I'm not a ballerina, I can't stand on my tip-toes. I remember seeing the camera start to pan around, and then it was like a black iris at the end of a silent film.

Related: See Brendan Fraser Get Emotional In This "Comeback" Interview

"It was like turning down the volume switch on your home stereo, like the Death Star powering down. I regained consciousness and one of the EMTs was saying my name. There was gravel in my ear and s**t really hurt. The stunt coordinator came over, and he said, 'Hi! Welcome to the club, bro! Ha ha ha!' And I was like, 'Ha ha, funny? Ha ha?' Like, What the hell? I want to go home! Steven — he and I disagree — but I think he was trying to go, 'Oh, that wacky Brendan, acting up a storm again!', or something like that. I was like, 'Hey, you guys think what you need to, but I’m done for the day.'"

It looks like Fraser was trying to "sell" the scene by making it look as realistic as possible, and director Stephen Sommers confirmed it, "blaming" it on him to turn it into a dangerous scene.

While Weisz is only in two films of the original trilogy , it's safe to say that Fraser would love to star in another movie alongside 'The Lobster' actress.

"I mean, come on. It's Rachel Weisz, she's lovely," Fraser commented.

About her role in 'The Mummy', Fraser said that Weisz did "all the talking" in the first movie.

"She got stuck with all the exposition in that show. Which is good, that means all the talking. I was just the guy like, 'Hurry up, let's go, come on! That thing is gonna go bang!' It worked out."

To be clear, a fourth movie isn't actually in the works, but there is a chance we'll see more of Rick and Evie in the future... if the stars align.

Next: Brendan Fraser Nearly Played This Iconic Superhero

Why These Tom Cruise Movies Never Got A Sequel

Despite starring in countless box office hits, Tom Cruise has often eschewed sequels in his lengthy career as a leading man. While the original "Mission: Impossible" has spawned multiple follow-ups, the only other Tom Cruise movies to inspire sequels are "Jack Reacher" and "Top Gun." Otherwise, his star vehicles often function as one-and-done entities. This makes sense considering how many Cruise features aren't exactly the kind of titles that can spawn cinematic universes. Would sequels to movies like "Rain Man" or "Eyes Wide Shut," for example, register as anything but bizarre cash grabs?

However, that doesn't mean there haven't been attempts over the years to extend the lifespan of certain Cruise movies with sequels that never got off the ground. But for a wide variety of reasons, a slew of sequels, prequels, or assorted spinoffs to various Cruise features have failed to come to fruition. The factors that ensured these follow-ups would only remain ideas rather than finished films range heavily, from Cruise's busy schedule to subpar box office results of the original movie dampening enthusiasm for sequels, among many other elements. While there aren't a ton of completed part twos in Cruise's filmography, there are a gigantic amount of Tom Cruise sequels that never saw the light of day. Warning — there are spoilers below.

Edge of Tomorrow

Ever since "Edge of Tomorrow" hit theaters in June 2014, there's been constant talk about a sci-fi sequel. While the movie bombed domestically , it did okay at the worldwide box office, and those who saw the movie really seemed to enjoy it . Its reputation has only grown since then, so it seems like there would be a sizable segment of the population willing to watch more time-travel shenanigans involving Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. However, this sequel has faced constant uphill battles towards getting completed. For starters, "Tomorrow" director Doug Liman and Cruise both got immediately busy with the 2017 film "American Made." That filled up their schedules right when the iron was hottest for "Edge of Tomorrow 2."

The prospective sequel seemed closer than ever in January 2018, when Liman said  the project was close to happening. But this follow-up, which would've been titled " Live Die Repeat and Repeat ," suffered further setbacks throughout 2019 when its screenplay went through a rewriting process . By 2021, Emily Blunt was highly doubtful that a sequel would ever make sense to financiers, while a report in 2022 revealed that Warner Bros. was more interested in developing an "Edge of Tomorrow" TV show for HBO Max rather than a traditional sequel. Even with its key creative participants gung-ho about a part two, an "Edge of Tomorrow" follow-up failed to become a movie audiences could even experience once, let alone over and over again.

Jerry Maguire

Even though everyone and their grandmother knows about "Jerry Maguire," as reflected in the film's gargantuan box office , the film has never received a sequel. It's not hard to see why since it's an intimate dramedy — not the kind of motion picture that spawns a slew of spinoffs. Plus, writer/director Cameron Crowe got extremely busy after the glorious success of "Jerry Maguire," and Tom Cruise was even busier in the late 1990s. But believe it or not, Crowe actually had an idea for a follow-up, despite not being the kind of guy who's ever done a sequel in his long and storied career.

Talking to Collider , Crowe noted that whenever he thought about doing more adventures in the world of "Jerry Maguire," it wouldn't focus on Cruise's protagonist. Instead, he "always thought it should be about the Tidwells [Cuba Gooding Jr. and Regina King]. I always thought it should be Marcy and Rod." Crowe even noted that he was often contacted about the idea of doing a TV show follow-up to "Jerry Maguire," only for him to suggest that the Tidwell's should be the focus and then have nobody follow up with him on the concept. Given how Crowe has largely focused on original films in his career, nobody should expect "Jerry Maguire 2" anytime soon, though at least this filmmaker knows exactly where he would've taken such a production.

Rock of Ages

For years after its release, there was constant buzz over the possibility of a sequel to "Hairspray." This 2007 musical remake was helmed by Adam Shankman and became a major box office hit . Thanks to all that cash, studio executives saw the potential to turn this project into a franchise. Despite having John Waters secured to write a script and a prospective July 2010 release date , the proposed "Hairspray 2" eventually fizzled out .

At least that Adam Shankman musical had years of discussion surrounding a potential sequel. The same can't be said for the director's 2012 musical "Rock of Ages," which starred Tom Cruise as Stacee Jaxx. Despite featuring Cruise as a washed-up rocker — among many other movie stars inhabiting similarly distinctive roles — "Rock of Ages" was a box office failure in its theatrical run. Thanks to it losing so much money, there was never so much as a whisper surrounding the prospect of a "Rock of Ages 2." While there was constant movement on "Hairspray 2" before it was canned, there was never any hope for Jaxx getting to come back out to moviegoers to deliver an encore performance.

Minority Report

"Minority Report" wasn't the biggest Tom Cruise movie ever when it opened in theaters in 2002. However, it still grossed over $350 million worldwide on a $102 million budget, rendering it a profitable enterprise. Combine that with the positive reviews it garnered, and it would have made sense if all involved opted to go make a sequel. However, rather than dive into a prospective "Minority Report 2," Cruise and director Steven Spielberg put their time and energy into another summer blockbuster. "War of the Worlds" would arrive three years after "Minority Report," serving as a reunion between the two popular artists.

While it could've been possible for a "Minority Report 2" to emerge after "War of the Worlds," Cruise and Spielberg proceeded to focus on a wide assortment of other, separate projects. With each passing year, the relevancy of "Minority Report" got more and more miniscule, and the chances of ever seeing a sequel were similarly small. While audiences would eventually get to return to the world of "Minority Report," it would be in the form of a 2014 TV show airing on Fox . This program would only last a season, providing a short return to this familiar universe for fans of the original property. Aside from this program, no momentum has occurred or appears to be on the horizon for a traditional big-screen "Minority Report" follow-up.

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

Unlike many Tom Cruise vehicles that aren't "Mission: Impossible" and "Top Gun," the 2012 film "Jack Reacher" actually did manage to receive a sequel. This follow-up dropped into movie theaters in October 2016 in the form of "Jack Reacher: Never Go Back." The project was a box office dud and didn't inspire much passion from critics. With these developments, the "Jack Reacher" franchise was over before it even began, with this property getting rebooted with the 2022 TV show "Reacher."

But before that Amazon program began airing, "Reacher" writer/director Christopher McQuarrie revealed to Empire Magazine that he and Cruise had originally planned to continue the "Jack Reacher" saga. The duo had been developing a follow-up to "Never Going Back" that would take the character in a decidedly R-rated direction with much darker stories compared to the first two "Reacher" films. Unfortunately for McQuarrie and Cruise, Paramount Pictures wasn't interested in continuing the franchise in movie form. While McQuarrie concluded the interview by saying that he and Cruise maintained a passion for exploring the character in further films, the existence of the "Reacher" show makes it apparent that "Never Going Back" will never get a sequel.

Knight and Day

At the end of "Knight and Day," Roy Miller (Tom Cruise) and June Havens (Cameron Diaz), after having to deal with so much deception and danger, finally get to relax. The duo, once strained and unable to stand each other, are shown getting away from the clutches of the CIA and riding away to paradise in Cape Horn. Though they're off to a tropical vacation, the fact that they're both alive — not to mention the bubbly episodic nature of "Knight and Day" itself — would seem to suggest there's a high possibility that this movie could spawn multiple sequels. Now that Miller and Havens have learned to live with each other, perhaps they can save the world again.

Unfortunately, unlike other Cruise action vehicles like "Mission: Impossible," "Knight and Day" would never get a sequel, and it's no surprise why. The movie came up short at the box office, grossing just $258.7 million on a $117 million budget. Failing to be a profitable enterprise and making considerably less than other Cruise action vehicles , it's difficult to imagine 20th Century Fox ever being interested in a sequel. Even if its ending suggested at least the tiniest possibility of there being more adventures on the horizon, "Knight and Day" never came close to justifying a follow-up at the box office.

On paper, "Oblivion" seems like the rare Tom Cruise action vehicle that could never warrant a sequel. That's because the film's lead character, Jack Harper, ends up perishing in the finale, sacrificing himself to ensure the destruction of an alien force that's taken over Earth. With that, the planet is saved, but the prospects of "Oblivion" becoming a franchise were seemingly destroyed. But never count out a big-budget Hollywood production to cook up a way to extend the lifespan of the most unexpected projects.

While promoting "Oblivion" in 2013,  director Joseph Kosinski noted that he and Cruise were passionate about the idea of doing more in this fictional universe. Specifically, the two were fixated on the concept of doing a prequel to "Oblivion," which would follow the adventures of Harper before he found out the truth about what was going on in the dystopian version of Earth. While Kosinski was hopeful the project would eventually see the light of day, "Oblivion's" decent but not extraordinary box office made the idea of doing follow-ups questionable. The constantly busy schedule of Cruise in the years after "Oblivion" sealed the deal that this prequel would never come to fruition.

War of the Worlds

Until "Top Gun: Maverick" arrived, "War of the Worlds" was the biggest film ever for Cruise at the domestic box office. The massive worldwide haul of a blockbuster like "War of the Worlds" would normally mean that a sequel would be inevitable. However, the definitive ending of the original title, which saw the aliens wiped out by earthly bacteria, already made it difficult to imagine what a sequel could look like. Still, other blockbuster sequels have been made to movies with much more impenetrable endings.

What really ensured that a "War of the Worlds" sequel would never see the light of day, though, was the deteriorating relationship between the film's star and director, Tom Cruise and Steven Spielberg. Vanity Fair would later report that Spielberg grew frustrated with all the antics Cruise engaged in while promoting "War of the Worlds" (like his infamous "Oprah Winfrey Show" appearance). While the pair had collaborated just three years earlier with "Minority Report," they would never work together after their alien invasion flick. Their lack of further joint projects has doubtlessly ensured the demise of countless prospective films, including a potential sequel to the highly lucrative "War of the Worlds."

Days of Thunder

In this day and age, it can feel like every movie with a remotely recognizable brand name is getting turned into a streaming TV show. This is especially true for various titles from Paramount Pictures, which are being translated into small-screen programs to bolster the Paramount+ streaming service , such as "Fatal Attraction," "The Parallax View," and "Footloose." The most lucrative big-screen releases of yesteryear are today's fodder for streaming royalty.

One Paramount project that won't be getting that treatment, though, is "Days of Thunder." This 1990 Tom Cruise title did only okay back in the day, but it's a recognizable name, and a follow-up or remake in the form of a TV show could've driven more eyeballs to Paramount+. However, in March 2022, The Hollywood Reporter reported that Cruise vetoed the idea of translating the property into a TV show. This star loves the big screen and doesn't want any of his properties associated with streaming or bypassing theatrical exhibition. This concept was snuffed out so quickly that no details were ever released on what a "Days of Thunder" show could even look like. The age of streaming television is bringing many movies to the small screen, but don't count on "Days of Thunder" or any Cruise vehicle becoming a part of that trend.

Tropic Thunder

There were a lot of big-name movie stars running around in 2008's "Tropic Thunder," but the performance that people couldn't stop talking about came from a mostly unrecognizable actor. Buried under lots and lots of makeup and prosthetics , Tom Cruise as foul-mouthed studio executive Les Grossman stole the show. Even better, the role provided a welcome reprieve from the actor largely choosing grim projects in the 2000s like "Lions for Lambs" or "The Last Samurai." Cruise was shedding those somber parts in favor of a character who was much goofier and more prone to dancing to Ludacris tunes.

Grossman proved to be such an enjoyable scene-stealer that a spinoff of "Tropic Thunder" was commissioned that would focus exclusively on this character. By 2012, screenwriter Michael Bacall told The Hollywood Reporter that he was working on the script for the project at that time. The plan was for this feature to not only have Cruise reprise the Grossman role but also delve into the origins of this character and his temper. No further news ever came out about this spinoff, and it's not clear why it never came to fruition. Part of it may have just been Cruise's busy schedule, but it also could have had something to do with how long it had been since the first "Tropic Thunder" came out. Even a scene-stealer like Grossman can't linger on the minds of moviegoers forever.

"The Mummy" wasn't just supposed to spawn a sequel. It was supposed to be the "Iron Man" for Universal's Dark Universe, a cinematic franchise dedicated to the classic Universal Monsters. Before "The Mummy" dropped, plans were already underway for new visions of "Bride of Frankenstein" and "The Invisible Man" to emerge in a shared universe. "The Mummy" went to great lengths to establish the idea that this film occupied the same world as other movie monsters, particularly through the presence of the secret organization of Prodigium and an appearance from Russell Crowe as Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde.

All those plans got thrown a loop once "The Mummy" opened in theaters and failed to take off with audiences. While it wasn't an absolute disaster financially, it only grossed $409 million worldwide on a massive $195 million budget. Just as bad was the fact that "The Mummy" was savaged by critics , and audiences didn't seem to muster much enthusiasm for it either. This wasn't the kind of response you would want for a movie that was serving as a launchpad for an entire cinematic universe. Further projects in the Dark Universe, particularly "Bride of Frankenstein," began to get shelved throughout the end of 2017 and 2018. By early 2019, Universal officially moved on from its Dark Universe ambitions, thus cementing that audiences would never see Tom Cruise's Nick Morton character ever again.

Brendan Fraser Says 'Sign Me Up' for Another The Mummy Sequel

The Mummy star Brendan Fraser is not opposed to returning for a further sequel to the beloved action-adventure flick.

The Mummy star Brendan Fraser is “not opposed” to returning to the role of Rick O'Connell for another sequel in the action-adventure franchise. Declaring “sign me up” while discussing the idea of another The Mummy outing with Pete Hammond of Deadline , Fraser says that he would never turn down the chance (or the salary) that would come with once again facing off against the undead Imhotep.

“Gosh, I don’t know any juicy details about it. But it’s kind of an open-ended question for some time now. I’m not opposed to it. I don’t know an actor that doesn’t want a job. I don’t think I’ve been this famous and unsalaried at the same time in my professional life, so sign me up.”

Released back in 1999, The Mummy stars Brendan Fraser as adventurer Rick O'Connell alongside Rachel Weisz as Egyptologist Evelyn Carnahan. The pair must work together when a cursed high priest with supernatural powers, Imhotep, is accidently awakened and proceeds to carry out his vendetta against mankind. Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics upon release, The Mummy was a financial success, and has since become a favorite among audiences for its golden-age action-adventure charm .

The Mummy was followed by two sequels, The Mummy Returns in 2001 and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor in 2008, before being rebooted by Tom Cruise in 2017. A reboot that did not go well at all .

Ever since, fans have wondered whether Brendan Fraser would ever be asked back to bring The Mummy franchise back to the delightful place that it should be, with the actor stating that he would be open to a return should the right storyline be found. “I don’t know how it would work, but I’d be open to it if someone came up with the right conceit,” Fraser said last year .

With The Brenaissance now in full swing, audiences would no doubt love to see Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz reunite for further adventures. In fact, why not resurrect the Dark Universe with Rick O'Connell and Evelyn Carnahan at its center, throwing the pair against all manner of different Universal monsters? One can dream...

RELATED: Best Mummy Movies, Ranked

Brendan Fraser is Now an Academy Award Favorite for His Performance in The Whale

For now, Brendan Fraser is busy battling things a lot more down-to-earth than all-powerful mummies in The Whale . Based on the 2012 play by Samuel D. Hunter, The Whale sees Fraser leading the latest outing from director Darren Aronofsky. Fraser stars in The Whale as Charlie, a 600-pound middle-aged man who tries to reconnect with his 17-year-old daughter. The two have grown apart after Charlie abandoned his family for his gay lover, who later died, which leads to Charlie binge-eating out of pain and guilt.

Starring Hong Chau, Samantha Morton, Ty Simpkins, and Sadie Sink alongside Brendan Fraser, The Whale was released in theaters on December 21, 2022. Fraser’s performance has so far brought him all manner of standing ovations , critical praise, and awards , with the actor currently a front runner to take home the Academy Award for Best Actor at The 95th Academy Awards.

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Top Gun 3 Update: Jerry Bruckheimer Says Tom Cruise Has Been Pitched a 'Story He Liked' (Exclusive)

While Jerry Bruckheimer says Tom Cruise liked a story pitch for 'Top Gun 3,' he notes Cruise is "a very in-demand actor and he's got a lot of movies lined up"

Gareth Cattermole/Getty

Plans are in motion for Tom Cruise to take to the skies again in a third Top Gun movie.

Jerry Bruckheimer , the producer behind Cruise's 1986 hit Top Gun and the 2022 box office sensation Top Gun: Maverick , tells PEOPLE "we're working on" Top Gun 3 as he promotes his new movie with filmmaker Guy Ritchie , The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare .

"We pitched Tom a story he liked. But he's a very in-demand actor and he's got a lot of movies lined up, so we have to wait and see," Bruckheimer, 80, adds.

When asked what might surprise fans about Cruise, 61, Bruckheimer immediately points to the actor's work ethic. "How hard he works," he tells PEOPLE. "A lot of actors, they finish the day, they get in their car and they go home. Tom stays around, talks to the other actors, looks at the film that they shot, wants to know what's happening tomorrow. He's really engaged in every part of the process."

Scott Garfield/Paramount Pictures/Courtesy Everett

Top Gun: Maverick grossed nearly $1.5 billion at the worldwide box office following its release in 2022. The sequel was the highest-grossing movie at the domestic box office that calendar year and currently stands out as the fifth-highest-grossing movie of all time in the U.S. and 12th-highest in the world.

When asked what the movie's success more than 25 years after the first Top Gun means to him, Bruckheimer tells PEOPLE, "Oh, it's fantastic."

"Just the fact that we can entertain so many people around the world was something that we worked so hard on. It is just the best there is," he says. "Just to stand back in the theater and watch an audience applaud and cry and laugh. Laughter is the best thing in the world."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

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Bruckheimer's next movie, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, is   in theaters April 19. The producer teamed up with director Ritchie, 55, for a film that stars Henry Cavill as a British special ops agent during World War II.

"I've been a fan of his since [1998's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels ], way back when he was a young pup," Bruckheimer says of working with Ritchie. "It's been a long time trying to get him. Finally, [we] got him."

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Jerry Bruckheimer Offers ‘Top Gun 3' Update: Joseph Kosinski Is Developing a ‘Wonderful' Story Idea for Tom Cruise

M oviegoers had to wait 36 years between "Top Gun" and "Top Gun: Maverick," but the third film in the franchise might be coming much sooner. Paramount announced plans to proceed with "Top Gun 3" in January 2024, with Tom Cruise expected to return alongside Glen Powell and Miles Teller.

Cruise's busy schedule, which includes a sequel to "Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning" and an untitled English language feature from Alejandro González Iñárritu , makes it unlikely that he'll be able to start production on "Top Gun 3" in the immediate future. But according to franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer , "Maverick" director Joseph Kosinski's new script is coming along smoothly.

"It will be Tom Cruise," Bruckheimer said of the hypothetical third movie in a recent interview with Screen Rant . "Tom is amazing. We spent time with him. We have a story. Joe Kosinski had a wonderful story idea for it, and he said, ‘I really like that,' so we're developing it. But you never know when it's going to get made because Tom is so busy. He's doing ‘Mission: Impossible' right now, he's got a picture after it. Hopefully, we'll get a screenplay that he loves, and we'll be back in the air again."

Speculation about "Top Gun 3" began almost immediately after the success of "Maverick," but the supporting cast always acknowledged that a third film would ultimately rest on Cruise's willingness to return and the team's ability to craft more death-defying aerial stunts.

"So, is there going to be a ‘Top Gun 3'? If we can figure out more crazy things to do with airplanes or a story that it is compelling and emotional and adventurous and romantic and all those things like, I am sure Tom would be down," Powell said in a 2022 interview with IndieWire . "But that's above my pay grade. Maybe you can pitch it to him when you talk to him!"

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Screen Rant

36-year-old tom cruise movie with 9% on rotten tomatoes has the perfect remake cast after $216m hit.

One critically-panned box office hit from Tom Cruise is ripe for a remake, and the perfect cast can be found in the leads of 2023's rom-com success.

• Casting the leads from 2024's successful rom-com, Anyone but You, could elevate a remake of Tom Cruise's 1988 Cocktail movie.
• The success of 2024's Road House remake suggests modern remakes of divisive '80s classics can work today.
• Glen Powell's Top Gun role proves he could successfully replace Tom Cruise in a potential Cocktail remake.

With Road House (2024) paving the way for more modern remakes of cult classic ‘80s thrillers, the potential for Tom Cruise’s 1988 movie Cocktail to be remade could work better by casting the leads from 2023’s big rom-com success. The 1980s was an incredible decade for entries in the so-bad-they’re-good action/thriller subgenre , with movies like Patrick Swayze’s Road House failing to impress critics but remaining beloved for their lack of self-seriousness and entertainment value. The cast of 2024’s Road House remake maintains this sentiment in the remake of the 1989 film, with its divisive success making additional remakes of movies of this vein more likely.

While not as fondly remembered as Road House , another ‘80s hit that falls into this category is Tom Cruise’s 1988 movie Cocktail . The movie follows Cruise’s Brian Flanagan, a business student working as a successful bartender, whose relationships with his coworker Doug (Bryan Brown) and romantic interest Jordan (Elisabeth Shue) lead to a series of unexpected twists and turns. Though the film holds a meager 9% score on Rotten Tomatoes, it was a smash box office smash, earning $171.5 million against an estimated budget of $20 million (via Box Office Mojo ). Following Road House ’s success, it could finally be time to give Cruse's Cocktail the modern remake treatment .

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Glen powell & sydney sweeney would be perfect for a cocktail remake after anyone but you, the two actors could fill the shoes of tom cruise and elisabeth shue.

One crucial factor contributing to the success of Doug Liman’s 2024 Road House remake was its compelling lead cast, with action star Jake Gyllenhaal taking over Patrick Swayze’s character from the original while UFC champion Conor McGregor assumed the cartoonish villain role . Similar to Road House ’s remake requiring an actor with Swayze’s star power and charisma, a Cocktail remake would need an actor with comparable allure to ‘80s-era Tom Cruise for Brian Flanagan . Likewise, with Elisabeth Shue having been one of the biggest female stars of the ‘80s, a Cocktail remake would need an actress of similar popularity and appeal to step into the role of Jordan Mooney.

Anyone but You (2024) and Cocktail (1988) are available to rent or purchase from digital retailers like Amazon Prime Video and YouTube.

If Cocktail does get a remake, these casting requirements can easily be found in the leads of the 2023 hit movie Anyone but You . Though also divisive among critics, Anyone but You was a certified box office smash as it went on to earn over $216 million against a $25 million budget. In addition to a witty script and fun premise, much of Anyone but You ’s success can be attributed to the casting and chemistry of Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney as the two romantic leads. In 2024, Powell and Sweeney aren’t too off from the cards that Cruise and Shue brought to the table back in 1988 for Cocktail .

Much of Anyone but You ’s success can be attributed to the casting and chemistry of Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney as the two romantic leads.

Powell already had rom-com experience with films like Set It Up ahead of Anyone but You , but made a bigger name for his action roles in movies such as Top Gun: Maverick , Devotion , Hit Man , and, now, the upcoming Twisters sequel movie . Meanwhile, Sweeney has proven widely popular with audiences after her roles in Euphoria , The White Lotus , and Immaculate , and both actors prove increasingly bankable with each new release. With the original Cocktail movie’s negative critical and audience response making it ripe for improvement , Powell and Sweeney could provide the star power a remake would need to successfully adapt the same-named 1984 novel.

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Remaking cocktail sounds better than anyone but you 2 for powell & sweeney, anyone but you doesn't need a direct sequel.

Following the success Anyone but You , Sweeney and Powell announced they were reading scripts and searching for their next collaboration together. While some have thrown around the idea of returning to Bea and Ben’s story with a potential Anyone but You 2 movie , the original movie being based on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing makes a sequel unnecessary. Rather, it seems more likely that Powell and Sweeney’s “sequel” will be a completely different film that pairs them as romantic leads.

It seems more likely that Powell and Sweeney’s “sequel” will be a completely different film that pairs them as romantic leads.

This was a common tactic for 1990s romantic comedies, which would see romantic leads like Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan or Julia Roberts and Richard Gere reunite in another rom-com instead of making a direct sequel to their past success. Consequently, with Sweeney and Powell searching for their next film collaboration, a remake of Cocktail could provide a fitting follow-up to Anyone but You . With Powell playing Brian and Sweeney playing Jordan, the duo would just need to find a new Doug to enhance their existing chemistry, potentially creating the perfect recipe to improve upon Cruise’s original movie.

Road House 2024's Success Proves Remakes Of Divisive '80s Thrillers Can Work Today

The bar is set lower, but it needs to maintain '80s movie's tone.

Remakes of 1980s hits don’t always work out, with some proving to be unnecessary if the original was already a hit and a product of its time. However, there are some notable exceptions, with Amazon’s 2024 Road House movie being one of them. The Road House remake’s Rotten Tomatoes score is already better than the 1989 original (59% compared to 43%), and smashed records for Prime Video’s movie premiere viewership numbers to prove its popularity among audiences. Though many fans of the original may reasonably remain more loyal to Swayze’s 1989 iteration, it’s difficult to deny the entertainment value and success of the remake.

Considering Cocktail has a much less beloved reputation than 1989’s Road House , remaking the Tom Cruise film isn’t apt to come with as much apprehension or high expectations. With an already divisive original movie, there isn’t as big of a risk of “ ruining ” the original, as the bar is relatively lower when aiming to improve upon certain aspects of the first film that didn’t initially land with critics and audiences. Of course, with cult classics, it helps if the remake maintains the tone of the original, such as 2024’s Road House protecting the campiness and lack of self-seriousness of the 1989 film.

Top Gun: Maverick Highlights How Glen Powell Could Replace Tom Cruise's Brian In Cocktail

Powell and cruise's characters share similar qualities in top gun.

A potential Cocktail remake wouldn’t be the first time that Glen Powell has stepped into an ‘80s-based Tom Cruise property. Powell starred in Cruise’s 2022 hit Top Gun: Maverick as Hangman , who served a role similar to Val Kilmer’s Iceman from the 1986 original movie. Consequently, it’s already clear that Powell has qualities similar to Cruise in that era, which would make him taking over a character that Cruise originated easier to grasp.

The greatest way to make [a Cocktail remake] more enticing would be to get Tom Cruise to return as well.

Similar to Hangman or Maverick, a character like Brian Flanagan has an air of cockiness and confidence that contrasts with his need to prove himself. Powell’s past movies have demonstrated that he could take on this type of character successfully, having to balance the cockiness and heroism of his Top Gun character with the earnestness and rom-com lead chops of his Anyone but You role. While Powell and Sweeney potentially starring in a Cocktail remake would already give it a leg up, the greatest way to make it more enticing would be to get Tom Cruise to return as well.

Source: Box Office Mojo

Anyone But You

Anyone But You is a romantic comedy by director Will Gluck starring Sydney Sweeny and Glen Powell. Sweeny and Powell star as Bea and Ben, two strangers with an incredible first date that goes sour following one incident at the tail end. Thinking the worst is behind them, the two are roped into a destination wedding in Sydney, Australia, where they'll have to pretend to be a couple despite absolutely hating each other.

‘Top End Bub’ Series Set as TV Sequel to Hit Australian Film

By Patrick Frater

Patrick Frater

Asia Bureau Chief

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Romantic comedy series “Top End Bub” will begin production next month in Australia as a sequel to hit 2019 feature film “ Top End Wedding .” Stars Miranda Tapsell (“The Sapphires”) and Gwilym Lee (“Bohemian Rhapsody”) will reprise their roles.

Where the 2019 Wayne Blair-directed film saw an engaged couple chase around the remote far north of Australia in search of the bride’s AWOL mother in time for their wedding, the eight-part series sees the married couple abandon their comfortable city life and move to the Top End (where the outback meets the tropics) to raise their recently orphaned niece. Tapsell’s character, Lauren, a dynamic Indigenous lawyer, must come to terms with her responsibilities within her culture as she transforms from an individualist to the linchpin of her family.

Goalpost Pictures’ Rosemary Blight is executive producer, and the series will be directed by Christian Van Vuuren and Shari Sebbens. The series will be filmed from May in Adelaide (South Australia) and Northern Territory. It has support from Screen Australia, Screen Territory and the South Australian Film Corporation.

“Prime Video is proud to be bringing back the beloved, hilarious and heart-warming characters of ‘Top End Wedding’ with the television spin-off ‘Top End Bub’ for Prime members in Australia and New Zealand,” said Sarah Christie, senior development executive at Amazon MGM Studios.

“Viewers will enjoy the sharp and funny observations of two city slickers woefully adjusting to life in the outback, surrounded by Lauren’s vast family and a host of colorful characters,” said Yi Qiao, director of drama at ZDF Studios.

While Prime Video recently announced that it was cutting back on production of original shows in Southeast Asia , it plans to continue production in Australia. Since 2019, Prime Video has commissioned 29 Australian original series and features in Australia.

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