With Brendan Fraser’s career resurgence and potential Oscar-worthy performance in The Whale, many would consider this a new arc for the actor. Though despite the recent acclaim, Fraser isn’t shying away from the idea of returning to his iconic role in The Mummy franchise.
When The Mummy debuted in 1999, it largely helped catapult rising star Fraser into a household name. Through its memorable action and comic relief, the series saw multiple sequels and various spinoffs. However, Fraser’s last involvement came in 2008 with the third mainline film.
Since then, he’s been absent from the franchise and largely absent from Hollywood until his resurgence over the past few years. With roles in No Sudden Move, The Whale, and the upcoming Killers of the Flower Moon all garnering attention, one could argue Fraser has turned a new leaf and reached new levels upon his return to the big screen.
Though even with his latest performances taking a more measured and meaningful approach, Fraser isn’t shutting the door on returning to perhaps his most popular, lighter role. In a sit-down interview with Pete Hammond of Deadline, Fraser assured he’s more than open to starring in The Mummy franchise once again.
“Gosh, I don’t know any juicy details about it,” he joked. “But it’s kind of an open-ended question for some time now. I’m not opposed to it. I don’t know an actor that doesn’t want a job. I don’t think I’ve been this famous and unsalaried at the same time in my professional life, so sign me up.”
Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest updates on Esports, Gaming and more.
While it’s been a full 15 years since he last stepped into frame as protagonist Rick O’Connell, and he’s admittedly not as young, he still sees value in the character as it brings joy to fans around the globe.
“I don’t really have any specific designs on what I want to do next, but I do know that at the ripe old age of 54, it should be something I care about,” he continued. “I’m starting to feel that there really is a sense of permanency in what we do. It really can reach people in a way that can change how they see the world.”
Obviously, there are no current plans in motion for another entry in The Mummy franchise. As 2017’s Tom Cruise-led reboot failed on both a critical and commercial level, falling $40 million short of breaking even at the box office, all plans were since scrapped. So we’ll just have to wait and see if Fraser’s comments light a spark and get the series back on track or if a proper fourth entry remains a pipedream.