It's no secret at this point that director Alex Kurtzman's THE MUMMY (buy it on Blu-ray HERE) starring Tom Cruise was a flop. Not only did the film die a slow death at the box-office, but it also went and killed Universal's planned Dark Universe of monster movies as well. Ouch. And it looks like after all this time, Kurtzman can finally look back on the movie and see that it wasn't what it was supposed to be.
Kurtzman:
The Mummy wasn't what I wanted it to be. I'm no longer involved in that and have no idea what's going on with it. I look back on it now [and] what felt painful at the time ended up being an incredible blessing for me. I learned that I need to follow my own instincts, and when I can't fully do that, I don't think I can succeed. Those films are beautiful because the monsters are broken characters, and we see ourselves in them. I hope those are the movies that they make; I want to see them.
Whatever the reason was for THE MUMMY being a big pile of Dark Universe shite, I could care less. I didn't hate the movie by any means but I found it to be so… middle of the road. I'm very happy to hear that the Dark Universe (at least as it was planned last year) is all but dead. Reboot it again already and get some true horror fans in there and – this is the key, Universal – don't be afraid to make HORROR movies. Don't try to make Marvel/superhero movies out of the monsters. Just make, you know, monster movies. Good luck and godspeed, Dark Universe.
For those who might care, here's what THE MUMMY was about:
Nick Morton is a soldier of fortune who plunders ancient sites for timeless artifacts and sells them to the highest bidder. When Nick and his partner come under attack in the Middle East, the ensuing battle accidentally unearths Ahmanet, a betrayed Egyptian princess who was entombed under the desert for thousands of years. With her powers constantly evolving, Morton must now stop the resurrected monster as she embarks on a furious rampage through the streets of London.
THE MUMMY was directed by Alex Kurtzman from a screenplay written by David Koepp, Christopher McQuarrie, and Dylan Kussman from a story by Jon Spaihts, Kurtzman, and Jenny Lumet. Kurtzman produced along with Chris Morgan, Sean Daniel, and Sarah Bradshaw. Cruise's co-stars included Annabelle Wallis, Sofia Boutella, Jake Johnson, Courtney B. Vance, and Russell Crowe. If you want to you can snag a copy on Blu-ray RIGHT HERE.