Universal’s iconic The Mummy is crawling back to the big screen — but this time, it’s nothing like the adventure fans remember.
A brand-new reimagining of the classic monster franchise has unveiled its first disturbing teaser, revealing a far darker, more psychologically intense vision under the direction of Evil Dead Rise filmmaker Lee Cronin. Early footage suggests audiences should prepare for pure horror rather than popcorn spectacle.
A Mummy Story You’ve Never Seen Before
Set to arrive in cinemas this April, the upcoming film abandons the light-hearted tone of the 1999 Brendan Fraser hit and instead dives into unsettling territory inspired by the franchise’s earliest roots. Cronin’s version reportedly draws loose inspiration from the 1932 original starring Boris Karloff, but reshapes the mythology into something far more sinister.
The story centers on a journalist whose young daughter, Katie, mysteriously disappears in the desert. Eight years later, she unexpectedly returns — alive — though it quickly becomes clear that whatever came back is no longer the same child.
Plot details remain tightly guarded, but the newly released teaser hints at a deeply disturbing mystery filled with hidden truths, ancient secrets, and unimaginable horror.
Teaser Trailer Reveals Nightmarish Imagery
The short trailer wastes no time setting an unsettling mood. Flashing images include a child’s mummified body, insects crawling from a mouth, and violent, shocking moments that suggest escalating terror rather than supernatural adventure.
Blink-and-you’ll-miss-it visuals show a scorpion and spider emerging in grotesque fashion, blood streaming from a young girl’s lips, and frantic scenes of panic and despair — all presented in a rapid montage designed to unsettle rather than explain.
This Mummy isn’t chasing thrills — it’s chasing fear.
A Horror Powerhouse Behind the Scenes
The film is co-produced by Blumhouse alongside James Wan, the creative force behind Saw, The Conjuring, and Insidious. That collaboration alone signals a serious commitment to high-impact horror.
The cast includes Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, and May Calamawy, with supporting performances from Emily Mitchell, Veronica Falcón, and Natalie Grace.
Lee Cronin Calls It a “Puzzle Box” Horror
Cronin has described the film as a layered mystery, comparing its structure to a “puzzle box” that slowly reveals terrifying answers. According to the director, the story explores buried secrets within Egyptian lore — not through familiar myths, but through darker, unexplored interpretations.
He has even teased the film as a bold fusion of Poltergeist-style supernatural dread and the grim investigative tension of Seven, promising an “insane mashup” that reinvents expectations.
Rather than retelling mummy mythology, Cronin aims to challenge what audiences think they know — pushing the franchise into psychological and emotional depths it has never explored.
Release Date and What to Expect
Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is scheduled to hit cinemas on April 17. If the teaser is any indication, this will be one of the most unsettling horror releases of the year — and a radical reinvention of a legendary movie monster.
Fans of dark horror, mystery thrillers, and elevated genre films may want to keep this one firmly on their radar.
You can watch the official trailer for Lee Cronin’s The Mummy below.