After years of speculation, nostalgia, and fans wondering whether Rick O’Connell would ever return, The Mummy 4 is finally moving from wishful thinking to reality. Brendan Fraser has delivered the most significant update yet on the long-awaited sequel, revealing that production is set to begin Monday morning.
The announcement came during Fraser’s appearance at the Festival du Cinéma Américain de Deauville, where the beloved actor was honored with the Deauville Talent Award. Speaking with CANAL+, Fraser made it clear that his return to the world of The Mummy is no longer just a possibility—it’s officially happening.
“I have to be at work Monday morning,” Fraser shared.
For fans who have spent years hoping to see Fraser pick up Rick O’Connell’s iconic mantle again, those words may be more exciting than any ancient artifact ever could be.
Rick O’Connell Is Coming Back
Fraser’s return to The Mummy franchise has been one of Hollywood’s most anticipated legacy comebacks. Now 57, the actor is preparing to revisit Rick O’Connell 27 years after the original 1999 adventure introduced audiences to the wisecracking, fearless adventurer.
And this time, he’s not coming back alone. The Mummy 4 will reunite Fraser with Rachel Weisz, who returns as Evelyn O’Connell for the first time since The Mummy Returns in 2001. Weisz did not appear in 2008’s The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, with Maria Bello taking over the role of Evelyn for that installment.
Her return alongside Fraser gives the upcoming sequel a particularly nostalgic edge, bringing two of the franchise’s most recognizable stars back together for a new chapter. But they’re not the only familiar faces returning.
The O’Connell Family Isn’t The Only Thing Coming Back
John Hannah is set to return to his role as Jonathan Carnahan, while Oded Fehr returns as Ardeth Bay. Then there’s one particularly surprising casting decision. Kevin J. O’Connor is returning as Beni. Despite the fact that his character seemingly met his definitive end in the original The Mummy.
That development alone raises some fascinating questions about what David Coggeshall’s still-secret screenplay has in store. Because if Beni is back, audiences have every reason to wonder what kind of supernatural twists await this time around. After all, this is The Mummy. Death has never exactly been the end of the story.
A New Team Is Taking The Reins
While the faces in front of the camera will feel familiar, The Mummy 4 is introducing an entirely new creative team behind it.
Filmmaking duo Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, collectively known as Radio Silence, are directing the sequel. The pair have previously collaborated on projects including Ready or Not, Scream VI, and Abigail, bringing a track record rooted in horror, suspense, dark humor, and high-energy genre filmmaking.
That combination could make for an interesting evolution of the Mummy formula. The original franchise blended adventure, comedy, romance, mythology, and supernatural horror into a blockbuster package. Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett now have the opportunity to bring their own sensibilities into that world while preserving the spirit that made audiences fall in love with Fraser’s Rick O’Connell in the first place.
David Coggeshall penned the screenplay for the fourth installment, though major details surrounding the plot remain tightly under wraps. And perhaps that’s exactly how it should be. Some tombs are better left unopened.
Fraser Knows the Cost of Being Rick O’Connell
There is one major difference between Fraser’s return in 2027 and his first journey into the desert nearly three decades ago: His body isn’t quite the same. The actor has previously spoken openly about the physical toll his action-heavy roles took on him throughout his career, including injuries sustained while performing demanding stunts.
This time around, Fraser appears ready to let the next generation of action performers take some of the punishment. During his Deauville appearance, the actor jokingly imagined himself telling the stunt team:
“You’re going to be great on this shot, go for it!”
And honestly? After everything Rick O’Connell has survived, maybe he deserves a little backup.
The Mummy Is Ready for Another Adventure in 2027
There is something uniquely exciting about a franchise returning because the audience and its star never stopped wanting another chapter. The Mummy wasn’t simply another action franchise. For an entire generation, Fraser’s Rick O’Connell represented the perfect blockbuster hero. Courageous without taking himself too seriously, capable without being invincible, and always ready with a one-liner when things went completely off the rails.
Bringing that character back isn’t about recreating 1999. It’s about seeing what Rick O’Connell looks like after all these years. With Rachel Weisz back as Evelyn, familiar faces returning, a new directing team behind the camera, and Fraser once again preparing to step into the adventure, The Mummy 4 has the opportunity to honor the past while opening a completely new chapter. And if Kevin J. O’Connor’s Beni really is back from the dead? Well, that’s just proof that the Mummy universe still has plenty of surprises buried beneath the sand.
The Adventure Returns in 2027
Production on The Mummy 4 is officially moving forward, with Fraser and the cast preparing to bring the next chapter to life. The film is currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on October 13th, 2027. Nearly three decades after Rick O’Connell first walked into an ancient tomb, the adventure is beginning again. The dust is settling as the tomb is opening. Bringing Rick O’Connell back!
