Lee Cronin's The Mummy Broke A Brendan Fraser Film Record That Was Intact For 27 Years

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, which released in India on April 17, alongside Akshay Kumar’s Bhooth Bangla, has managed to do something unexpected. The film has surpassed a long-standing audience record set by Brendan Fraser’s The Mummy – a benchmark that held strong for 27 years. Despite the film receiving a lukewarm critical reception, the new horror reboot from Lee Cronin has managed to strike a chord with the audience.Lee Cronin’s The Mummy sits at a modest 45 per cent critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, with reviewers highlighting tonal inconsistencies and uneven storytelling. Some even drew comparisons to the 2023 Lee Cronin film Evil Dead Rise, suggesting the new film heavily borrows from its style, swapping out zombies for mummies, without really

adding anything new.

However, audience reactions have been more robust with Lee Cronin’s The Mummy boasting 77 per cent audience score, overtaking the 75 per cent earned by Brendan Fraser’s 1999 adventure classic. This makes it the highest audience-rated entry in the entire Mummy franchise. Interestingly, it even edges past most entries across different eras of the franchise, though falling just short of The Scorpion King: Book of Souls, which holds a 79 per cent audience score.Overall, critics focused on narrative flaws, but audiences were drawn to the film’s intense horror elements—particularly its graphic visuals and unsettling atmosphere. Natalie Grace has mostly been singled out for her chilling performance as the possessed daughter.

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is a Blumhouse Productions and New Line Cinema film, which takes a darker, more family-centered approach. The story follows a fractured family reunited with their daughter after her mysterious disappearance in Egypt - only to discover something deeply sinister has returned with her. The cast also includes Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, and Verónica Falcón.The film, however, is completely separate from the earlier franchsie led by Fraser. While this reboot explores new territory, fans of the original trilogy have something else to look forward to- Universal Pictures is reportedly developing a fourth installment that would reunite Fraser with Rachel Weisz and John Hannah. As per reports, Producer James Wan approached Lee Cronin with the idea of developing a new Mummy film. In response, Cronin expressed interest in stepping outside his comfort zone and tackling something different. Wan then suggested leaning fully into horror by creating a genuinely terrifying take on The Mummy, an idea that immediately appealed to Cronin. Committed to the project, Cronin ultimately chose to pass on directing a sequel to Evil Dead Rise so he could focus on bringing this darker reimagining of The Mummy to life.Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, budgeted at $22 million saw an opening weekend of around $13 million.