Why the 2026 ‘Mummy’ reboot feels nothing like the films before it | The Haunted Column

For years, ‘The Mummy’ franchise leaned on spectacle. Lavish sets, globe-trotting adventure, and a monster designed to thrill rather than disturb. Lee Cronin’s 2026 reboot appears determined to unlearn all of that.

Cronin, who brought a raw physicality to ‘Evil Dead Rise’, is writing and directing this new version. This is not a nostalgic revival or a crowd-pleasing adventure. It is being positioned as a straight horror film, one that strips the myth down to something uglier and harder to escape.

What immediately sets this reboot apart is how firmly it cuts ties with earlier versions. There are no returning characters, no playful callbacks, and no interest in recreating the swashbuckling tone that once defined the franchise. Cronin has spoken about digging into something “very ancient and very frightening”, and everything about this approach suggests a story that prefers dread over display.

Instead of treating the mummy as a grand, theatrical villain, the film reportedly leans into decay, possession, and bodily corruption. The horror is meant to feel invasive. Less operatic, more suffocating. The kind that creeps in quietly and refuses to let go.

The casting supports that mood. Jack Reynor leads the film, joined by Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Veronica Falcon, and Natalie Grace. There is no obvious action hero energy here. It feels closer to a group trapped inside a slow-burning nightmare than a story built around a single saviour.

There are also early signs that the film is stepping away from the franchise’s old colonial fantasies. There is little emphasis on romanticised archaeology or globe-trotting spectacle. Instead, the horror seems more grounded and consequence-driven, emerging gradually rather than announcing itself with scale.

That places ‘The Mummy’ firmly within the current wave of restrained, atmosphere-first horror. Recent years have shown that audiences respond to films that trust tension more than excess. If Cronin applies the same control and confidence he showed in ‘Evil Dead Rise’, this could become something rare: a franchise reboot that actually feels necessary.
‘The Mummy’ is slated for release in April 2026.

FAQs
Q. Is the 2026 ‘Mummy’ connected to the earlier films?
A. No. It is a full reboot with no returning characters or storylines.

Q. Is this version of ‘The Mummy’ a horror film?
A. Yes. Lee Cronin is treating it as straight horror, not an action-adventure.

Q. When does ‘The Mummy’ release?
A. The film is scheduled to hit theatres on April 17, 2026.