Alex Kurtzman’s reboot of The Mummy in 2017 was supposed to kickstart Universal Pictures’ Dark Universe, an integrated cinematic franchise featuring classic monsters from movies of yesteryear. Unfortunately, the picture was a complete flop and it led to the scrapping of this concept.
It could be argued, though, that The Mummy and the Dark Universe still have massive franchise potential. This is evident with the popularity of the themed slot game based on the film. Therefore, it could make sense for Universal to have another crack at making a worthy remake of The Mummy.
The Mummy is a Great Theme for Slots and Other Games
Ancient Egypt is a fascinating backdrop used across a multitude of platforms, including the entertainment industry. Consider, for example, the online casino market. The scope of games when you look at the online casino at Paddy Power games is, quite frankly, overwhelming. You’re faced with slots of varying genres including everything from fishing to Ancient Greece, however, there are also some film-based titles that stand out thanks to the popularity of the blockbuster titles and unmissable iconography associated with them. The Mummy: Books of Amun Ra is one such game, and the offering from Playtech promises an experience that builds upon the 2017 movie.
A couple of other games were released alongside The Mummy, and these were both well-received among players and critics alike. The Mummy Demastered from WayForward Technologies was directly based on the picture, while The Mummy: Dark Universe Stories was set after the film and introduced more characters from the wider Dark Universe.
Evidently, the popularity of the franchise is indicated by the sheer weight of the merchandising campaigns as there are countless games inspired by The Mummy, and will undoubtedly be many more to come, regardless of whether any future Mummy movies are successful.
Dark Universe Still Has a Lot of Potential
After witnessing the Marvel Cinematic Universe on its way to raking in more than $25 billion at the box office in 15 years, Universal desperately wanted to replicate the successful model with its own characters. The Dark Universe was conceived, and it was set to feature numerous classic monsters such as The Invisible Man, Frankenstein’s monster, the Wolfman, and Dracula.
Unfortunately, because The Mummy only earned $410 million worldwide and lost the studio a total of $95 million, it was forced to have a rethink the model. There’s no doubting the potential of this Dark Universe, with many of the monsters at Universal’s disposal being major household names. If the studio can produce a well-made film that receives positive reviews, it could easily reinvigorate the idea and have another go at it.
Does a Certain Amount of Time Have to Pass Before they Can Reboot?
The question is, would it be wise to try again with a reboot of The Mummy, or should Universal opt for a different film entirely? There are no rules surrounding the amount of time that needs to pass before a reboot can be made, but if Universal remakes The Mummy now it may have less chance of success with the failure of the last one still fresh in people’s minds.
It could make more sense to focus on one of the other characters that were introduced in the Tom Cruise picture. Dr. Jekyll is one of the most iconic fictional protagonists of all time, and it seems Hollywood is due a remake of his story. However, some people believe that Russell Crowe should be recast if this comes to fruition.
It may not be the right time for Universal to have another go at making The Mummy, but it should have a think about reviving the Dark Universe. This concept has so much potential if it is kickstarted with a strong film.
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