Do you think some big blockbusters can come crashing down despite having A-list actors? The Mummy, with Tom Cruise in the lead, was made with a lot of expectations; it was to be the first installment in a planned series of monster movies called the Dark Universe.
It was cost almost every budget a successful stalemate between audiences and critics, aiming something big boasting an international actor. Now why did it not succeed? This article would look into why it flopped while figuring out lessons learned concerning movie franchises and what it takes for such movies to be in line with the original stories.
Box Office Performance and Critical Reception
So what was it like really? It was a costing fortune to produce and market. Went unacclaimed domestically. Triumping in much of the overseas market becomes testimony to the Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, and IMDb assessments from critics. Unfortunately, they weren\’t kind.
Initial Projections vs. Reality
Forecasts exclusive of the movie world prior to its release went out early. The Mumby was predicted to be a box office hit. It was meant to rake in big bucks. The results didn\’t match that of the projections then.
Key Criticisms Leveled Against the Film
There were a few points raised. The story doesn\’t make sense. The tone feels odd. Cruise takes over the film. The Mummy, Ahmanet, is not very well developed. These issues really hurt the film.
Dark Universe Dreams Cut Short:
There was that intention that Universal Studios would have their world of classic monsters. It had already incorporated Dracula Untold. There were plans for other movies. This dream was called the Dark Universe. It sounds cool, doesn\’t it?
The Dark Universe Movies Announced and Their Fate
Many monster flicks were in development. Bride of Frankenstein, Wolfman, and Invisible Man were strapped but did not go anywhere. The Dark Universe did not open its doors.
Was The Mummy the Right Launching Point?
Was The Mummy not a relatively poor choice to launch that Dark Universe? Maybe another monster would have been better. A different approach might have worked. What do you think?
Tom Cruise\’s Role and Creative Control
In any case, it was not only Cruise\’s bankability that made him a producer but also afforded him ample creative input on how the film panned out. Did that help or hurt the movie?
Did Cruise Shine Like the Usual Over the Rest of the Movie?
Tom is a particular leading man in a certain type of movie for him. Would that really fit into monster-genre notions? Did it overshadow other characters? Most people think it did.
Scandalous Reports of Creative Differences and Outside Influence
The alleged storm that imbued controversy behind the latest updates to production sounds little more than just some gossip. There was buzz about Cruise\’s strong hand in both the writing and the directing of the movie and editing. Such variance in creative terms is bound to keep things a little messy.
Plot Holes and Character Development Problems
We will get into the plot, which had its arcs put into the sieve. The motivations of those characters were not really clear. In many a moment, the plot fails to convince you.
The Jumping Tone and Genre Mashup
Its audio ranged everywhere from action to horror to comedy, but it really didn\’t mix well. The lack of coherence in the tone made it confusing.
Weaknesses in Character Arcs and Motivations
Nick Morton, as played by Cruise, has a very lame character arc. Ahmanet, the Mummy, is very shallow. Even Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde seems underdeveloped. This did not help the story.
Lessons on Franchise Filmmaking from this Movie
What are the learning lessons for studios from Mummy? So, there are lots. And these can help to ensure that, in future, better movies get made. What would be possible advice from this?
Concentrate Strongly on a Good, Cohesive Narrative
A good narrative is key. It must make sense. The tone needs to hold up. The characters must have defined motives. This is so important.
Respect the Source While Innovating
The original monster stories must be honored and revivified, but not strayed too far from the things that made them great while being added something new.
Conclusion
The Mummy curse upon Dark Universe was rather big. A hasty starting up of the franchise did not seem to mold the anticipated success. Creative troubles came into it. There were some issues with the story itself, and the tone was all over the place.
These mistakes, hopefully, can be learned from the future better monster movies. What do you think? Where are these monster creations headed in the future?