MovieChat Forums > The Mummy (2017) Discussion > reignite the DU!

reignite the DU!

posted 6 years ago by bozo_500 (13151)
11 replies | jump to latest

Mummy doing 400m wasn't too bad. Universal they should just go 'fuk it' and go ahead with their DU - Bride of Frankenstein, Dracula, Wolfman, Invisible Man, Black Lagoon, Phantom etc. The first couple of movies no mention of Mummy'17 or any DU connections so would appear to be like a reboot/each movie unto itself version of the Universal Monsters. and then at some point reintroduce Crowe in a Nick Fury/David Dunn style end credits cameo (which would be like a shock to the audience as thered have been no hint that these new movies were connected to the Mummy'17/DU at all) and then keep going and have the odd DU connection creeping into the movies with the aim being an eventual DU Avengers type movie for release around the mid/late 2020s (where Cruise could appear again lol) which could gross the $1b they hoping (and if they can make around 400m+ off budgets around 150m for the rest then what's wrong with that? otherwise its just all superheroes and SW in the cinema with the occasional F&F and JW. and ive heard people saying well no one is interested in Universal Monsters now as they too old and any fans are too old/dead to go to the movies etc...like everyone was desperately wanting Iron Man, Capt America, Thor movies etc before they did them huh?)

[–] lordbishop34 (1442) 6 years ago

This film failed to match The Mummy (1999) performance, unadjusted or its sequel and barely outperformed the worst in that series globally..all three films did better domestically. That is a really poor performance. This is a very western based film series, the fact that it did only 80 mil in the US is bad.

If they want to do this, they need to retool everything and you don't have to have them connect directly like MCU. They can be in the same "world" without one leading directly or indirectly into the next film. Just get a set of directors out there to create there own thing within the world. While Frankenstein and Bride should be connected, we don't need the Wolfman having a beer with the invisible man in a bar during those films. That is just my take, create separate good films rather than forcing the cinematic world aspect into each film.

[–] bozo_500 (13151) 6 years ago

the problem with Mummy'17 is they came out all guns blazing about it being the MCU version of Universal Monsters instead of movie by movie thing like MCU was in the beginning. I remember being quite stunned they thought that was the way to go just assuming audiences wanted a sudden delude of Univeral Monstor movies mapped out for the next 5 years (same with DC after Avengers and MOS)..hell had MCU done that right off bat with Iron Man 1 audiences probably would've been like 'wtf?! fuk off!' (the appeal of MCU was that it was a gradual thing that gradually revealed itself to be this bigger interconnected universe)

And they obviously used a reboot of The Mummy to kick off the DU as it had the most box office potential what with it being the only one of the UMs that have had big hits in recent memory so had the best chance of box office success (and adding Cruise/Crowe)- they didnt want to acknowledge the underperforming Dracula Untold as the first one of this new DU and couldn't reboot Dracula again so soon. same with Wolfman and the 2 recent Frankenstein were so insignificant no one can even remember them)

[–] lordbishop34 (1442) 6 years ago

Yeah they over emphasized the universe aspect to the detriment of the first (? *cough* Dracula Untold *cough*) film in the series, The Mummy. The problem with Bride is its already stained by the first (second) film in the series, as it was announced as part of the universe that has failed. I would axe Bride and go with Frankenstein, drop all mention to a "Dark Universe" and move on from there, Bride would follow, but in between perhaps Wolfman, without having direct links between it and the Frankenstein films. The lead up should be to Dracula, the king of the universal monsters, perhaps then the shared universe aspect could make an appearance.

[–] TandyMan (11120) 6 years ago

They definitely should have just said they were embarking on a nostalgia campaign of bringing back the classic monsters and we'll see where it goes from there. Tom Cruise is also very divisive. People love him or hate him. Terrible pick for the first film in a proposed franchise package.

[–] edge (126) 6 years ago

BOZ
Please excuse my ignorance, but if you could, please educate me a little. What does DU,SW,F&F and JW mean?

Thanks in advance.

"Let me explain something to you. Um, I am not "Mr. Lebowski". You're Mr. Lebowski. I'm the Dude. So that's what you call me. You know, that or, uh, His Dudeness, or uh, Duder, or El Duderino if you're not into the whole brevity thing."

Stay Gold
Edge

[–] bozo_500 (13151) 6 years ago

DU = DARK UNIVERSE
SW = STAR WARS
F&F = FAST & FURIOUS
JW = JURASSIC WORLD

[–] edge (126) 6 years ago

Thank you for the reply. I did have to Google the Dark Universe. Now I have a good idea what that is about and the challenges ahead for Universal or whomever.

Title Card: Death is but the doorway to new life. We live today, we shall live again. In many forms shall we return. -Egyptian Prayer of Resurrection

Stay Gold
Edge

[–] TandyMan (11120) 6 years ago

I do think at some point, these studios are gonna have to just knuckle down and start making these franchises whether they lose a crap ton of money in the beginning or not. You can't expect these film to make a billion dollars up front. That takes ten years. You sling enough crap out there it's going to build a loyal fanbase eventually.

[–] bozo_500 (13151) 6 years ago

yes. in fact that's how MCU started (look at the box office for Incredible Hulk and even Cap America wasnt that big)..and then theres Fast & Furious (10 years ago whod ever think that series would be where it is today lol)

[–] Otter (24464) 6 years ago

They should only revive the "Dark Universe" if it's given to a completely different team, and hopefully a different studio.

It's an idea that could work in the right hands, but like the "Narnia" films made several years ago, the franchise is NOT in the rights hands and the films being released are just terrible. These franchises only work if people actually like the films and want to see more of the same, and nobody wants to see more of this mess.

[–] bozo_500 (13151) 6 years ago

Invisible Man to go ahead - WITHOUT any DU connection
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/invisible-man-movie-works-blumhouse-1180161