In 2017, The Mummy with Tom Cruise was to be the starting point of an extended cinematographic universe, among the largest that cinema has ever carried. It is with the ambition to compete with Marvel’s MCU that the Dark Universe was born. Objective: bring together the emblematic monsters of Universal Studios – Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man… and give birth to an immense interconnected saga. Too bad, instead of kicking off a sprawling franchise, The Mummy caused the downfall of one of Hollywood’s most ambitious projects. A look back at a spectacular failure.
Built to compete with the MCU
Determined to exploit the yesteryear success of its horror cinema, Universal is imagining an extended franchise inherited from its cult watches of the 1930s and 1940s. With the Dark Universe, the studio aims to resurrect the creatures that made it famous (the Invisible Man, Dracula, Frankenstein, etc.) by creating an interconnected saga in the style of the MCU.
For this major project, Universal is pulling out the checkbook. A five-star cast is announced with Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe (Dr Jekyll), Johnny Depp (The Invisible Man), Javier Bardem (Frankenstein) and even Angelina Jolie as Frankenstein’s bride. At the time, a promotional image bringing together these stars was even unveiled, accompanied by an official logo, and the announcement of a first film, centered on the character of the Mummy.
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A bitter failure
Released in 2017, The Mummy was to be the cornerstone of the Dark Universe. But upon its release, the film suffered a cold critical reception. The tone of the film oscillates between horror and action without ever finding its balance, and the story seems more of a forced introduction to a shared universe than a standalone story. Despite a decent box office of $409 million, the film was considered too expensive (budget of $195 million, excluding marketing) to be profitable. Worse: barely introduced to the cinema, the Dark Universe already suffers from a shaky vision. Tom Cruise, who plays the title role, is notably accused of having imposed major modifications on the film, transforming the project into an indigestible cinematic patchwork.
Faced with the bitter failure of The MummyUniversal quickly puts its Dark Universe on pause. The announced projects (Frankenstein, The Werewolf, The Invisible Man) are suspended. Alex Kurtzman and Chris Morgan, who were in charge of the extended universe, are leaving the ship. In 2019, the project was officially abandoned.
The return of the Mummy?
It is with a lot of ambition and little recognition that Tom Cruise’s The Mummy marks the birth and death of the Dark Universe. The film is broadcast this Sunday, March 22 on TFX, and if it is definitely not memorable, the footage should have marked the beginning of a new cinematographic era.
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