Brendan Fraser ‘not opposed’ to reprising role in The Mummy film franchise

Charlie Herbert

Someone put a script together immediately

Brendan Fraser has confirmed he is open to reprising his role in The Mummy film franchise.

The actor, who shot to fame after starring as adventurer Rick O’Connell in the 1999 adventure film and its two sequels, was speaking during an interview on Deadline’s The Actor’s Side about his career.

He told host Peter Hammond that although he does not know any details about a reboot, he is not against returning.

The 54-year-old added: “It’s kind of an open-ended question for some time now. I’m not opposed to it, I don’t know an actor who 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!”

The Mummy

This isn’t the first time Fraser has spoken about the possibility of returning to the franchise.

Speaking to Variety in October, he said: “I don’t know how it would work. But I’d be open to it if someone came up with the right conceit.”

Fraser also explained why he though Universal’s franchise reboot didn’t work.

The 2017 film starring Tom Cruise was panned by critics and lost around $95m at the box office, with plans for further installments canned.

Discussing why the film failed to capture the magic of the originals, Fraser said it had been lacking one big thing – a sense of fun.

“It is hard to make that movie,” he said. “The ingredient that we had going for our Mummy, which I didn’t see in that film, was fun. That was what was lacking in that incarnation.

“It was too much of a straight-ahead horror movie. The Mummy should be a thrill ride, but not terrifying and scary.”

“I know how difficult it is to pull it off,” he added. “I tried to do it three times.”

Fraser is being tipped for Oscars glory this year for his performance in The Whale which sees him play the role of a 600 pound (272kg) man living with obesity and on the brink of death, who decides to try and reconnect with his 17-year-old daughter.

The actor received a six-minute standing ovation following the film’s screening at the Venice Film Festival in September and has received critical acclaim for the role.

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