Michael Johnston in Talks to Join 'The Mummy 4'
SkimNews Take
Casting a fresh horror breakout alongside Radio Silence directing points to Universal rebuilding legacy monster IP through genre-trained talent rather than blockbuster veterans.
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- Michael Johnston is in early talks to join 'The Mummy 4,' with Variety confirming the casting news first reported by The Insneider.
- Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz have officially closed deals to reprise Rick and Evelyn O'Connell — Weisz notably skipped the 2008 threequel 'The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor,' making her return a long-awaited one for fans.
- Universal Pictures has dated the film for a wide theatrical release on Oct. 15, 2027, with Radio Silence duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett ('Ready or Not') directing from a screenplay by David Coggeshall ('The Family Plan').
- John Hannah is also confirmed to return to the franchise alongside the returning leads.
- Longtime franchise steward Sean Daniel — who has produced every installment since the 1999 original — returns alongside Project X Entertainment's William Sherak, James Vanderbilt, and Paul Neinstein; the franchise has grossed $1.8 billion at the studio.
- Johnston previously starred in 'Teen Wolf,' but it was his role in Curry Barker's low-budget horror hit 'Obsession,' which became a box-office sensation this year, that brought him to moviegoers' attention.
Why it matters: Universal is reviving its $1.8 billion Mummy franchise after the 2017 Dark Universe reboot flopped, reuniting the original O'Connell cast — including Weisz, who skipped the 2008 threequel — with Radio Silence directing. Johnston's 'Obsession' breakout adds horror credibility to a film that's betting on nostalgia over universe-building.
