Lee Cronin’s The Mummy reboot reportedly bombs test screenings, sparking fears it may outdo Tom Cruise’s infamous franchise disaster.
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The Mummy fans might have to sit this one out. After Tom Cruise‘s flop entry, it looks like Lee Cronin’s reboot has nothing but more disappointment in store for fans. At least according to its screen test results.
According to reports, people who attended the screening rated the film “very poor,” much to the filmmaker’s dismay. The audience wondered why this was a thing in the first place. Reports also stated that The Mummy seemed to be a rip-off of four other horror films and had a run time of around 100 minutes.
More details…
-Every Person in the screening rated it “very Poor”
-everyone wondered why this was even made
-ripped off 4 other horror films
-runtime was around 100ish Mins https://t.co/6TgErhV9K6— 🖤 Buy Physical Media 🖤 (@VHSDVDBLURAY4K) January 9, 2026
In fact, things were apparently so bad that producer James Wan walked away from the middle of the show. How bad does a film have to be for a horror legend to walk out? However, it’s best to take the news with a grain of salt.
According to Feature First, a representative of WB reached out and denied the claims of both Wan walking out and the negative screen test, calling it “completely untrue.“
Here’s what we know about The Mummy so far:
The film follows the story of a young girl who returns after mysteriously disappearing in the desert, leaving no trace behind. Her family is shocked upon her arrival, but before they can forget their sorrows, the reunion turns into a nightmare.
Directed by Cronin, the film is based on The Mummy (1932) by John L. Balderston and others. It stars Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, Verónica Falcón, May Calamawy, and more.
| Title | The Mummy |
| Director | Cronin |
| Producers | Jason Blum Cronin John Keville James Wan |
| Cast | Jack Reynor Laia Costa Verónica Falcón May Calamawy… |
| Production companies | Blumhouse Productions Atomic Monster Wicked/Good |
| Distributed by | New Line Cinema (through Warner Bros. Pictures) |
| Release date | April 17, 2026 |
With films like The Hole in the Ground (2019) and Evil Dead Rise (2023), fans had some hope from Cronin’s reimagination of the beloved franchise. Unfortunately, if the reports are true, this could mean that the film may give tough competition to Cruise’s instalment.
Can Lee Cronin’s Reboot Surpass Tom Cruise’s The Mummy?
By this, we mean, can the upcoming reboot surpass Cruise’s Mummy in terms of being the worst title in the franchise?
Released in 2017, The Mummy starred Cruise and Annabelle Wallis in what was supposed to be a reboot of the series that came before it. Cruise played the role of U.S. Army Sergeant Nick Morton, a soldier of fortune who accidentally ends up discovering the ancient tomb of an entrapped Egyptian princess, Ahmanet.
Despite the star power and the franchise’s previous success, the film was unable to impress the audience, so much so that people would rather forget its existence. With a score of 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, it dominated the 2018 Golden Raspberry Awards with eight nominations and one win (Cruise for Worst Actor). It made $409 million at the box office (via The Numbers).
The Mummy was supposed to mark the beginning of the Dark Universe, which would have seen the return of classic movie monsters, including Dracula and Frankenstein, but unfortunately, it was so bad that the entire idea was scrapped.
Now the question is, will Cronin’s version prove to be worse or better than the 2017 disaster? We won’t know until April.
The Mummy Reportedly Getting Rebranded After Criticism
After the reported criticism, it seems that the film might not be a part of the franchise after all. According to World of Reel, Cronin’s project is being renamed as ‘The Resurrected‘ and is distancing itself from the Mummy IP.
Does this mean that the reports were true, after all? Perhaps this could be a good move for the film’s future, allowing it to create an identity for itself, rather than trying to fill in the large shoes left behind by the OGs.
So far, we know that the film, no matter what it is called, is going to be “truly vile” when it comes to grotesque scenes. Via Feature First, a clip shows a “scorpion that crawls into somebody’s mouth and severs their vocal cords, leading someone to stick their fingers down that person’s throat and press on their cords allowing them to speak.“
Do share your thoughts on everything you’ve heard about Cronin’s upcoming project in the comments section below!
Cronin’s The Mummy releases on April 17, 2026.
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