Oh, what a big hype! Tom Cruise in The Mummy! It was expected to be a lot. It was supposed to lead the Dark Universe from Universal. What happened? The Mummy (2017), starring Tom Cruise, didn\’t work according to expectations. The aim of the article: we shall try to figure out why this was so. We shall also see what effects it put toward the slated Dark Universe franchise.
Heavy Were The Expectations: The Dark Universe Ambitions
Universal dared to dream big. A shared universe for classic movie monsters. The Mummy had to put that weight on its shoulders. So much pressure to perform.
The Darkness Universe: A Promising Beginning?
Excitement had been kicked into gear with the announcement of the Dark Universe. Names such as Depp and Bardem attached themselves to the project. Audiences were hungry for the shared universe after the success of Marvel. And the monsters could not have found a better time!
High Gamblin\’ and Studio Interference: A Death Knell for the Movie?
Rumors were swirling about studio interference. Most even substantiated with reports of creative rifts between the cast and the studio. Could that have played a part in ruining the movie? Perhaps. A few people inside suggested a heavy hand from the studio hurt the film.
Casting and Character Development: Weirdly Unfitting Jigsaw Pieces?
Casting matters. Am I saying Tom Cruise and the others will fit their roles? How did the public view Cruise in this role? Well, it\’s time to analyze.
Nick Morton: Portrayed by Tom Cruise as just Action Star or Miscast Adventurer?
Cruise is famous for action. Did that work in Nick Morton\’s favor? Did any of his presence ever step in the way of the narrative of other characters? A few believed his showmanship got in the way of acting.
Was Sofia Boutella\’s Mummy a Strong Performance with Weak Material?
What was Boutella\’s performance as the Mummy? Did the script give her anything to work with? Some felt there was little exploration into the character\’s motives. Reviewers were quite mixed.
Plot And Pacing Problems: Ruining The Threads Of Storytelling
Plot matters. What about the script? Was the pacing off? Time to examine.
Confusing Mythologies and World-Buildings: Were There Any Lost in Translation?
Was it a failure in presentation of its mythology? Did it tie into the Dark Universe? For some, viewers found it to be confusing. Was anything lost in translation?
An Action Horror Identity Crisis?
The mix was action and horror. Did it balance them well? Or was it an identity crisis? Some others have mixed those genres successfully. This one did not.
Critical Reception and Box-Office Performance: An Insult to Injury
Well, follow the numbers. It had bad reviews. The box office was nothing to write home about. It did not live up to the expectations.
Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic: The Numbers Don\’t Lie
With embarrassment, these films received low scores on Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic. Directly lower than those of its ilk. Ouch! The critics did hit bluntly.
This film just was an ol\’ box office dud that went astray.-The film\’s box office didn\’t match its budget. Very high production and marketing costs went into a relatively low return film. Only managed weak domestic-vague numbers. Quite an expensive mistake.
The Death of the Dark Universe: A Cautionary Tale
What happened post-the flop of The Mummy? How was it going to affect the Dark Universe plan? A cautionary tale indeed.
Lost Plans and Rebooting: A New Direction?
The other Dark Universe projects were all shelved. Universal switched gears and launched standalone monster movies. Instead, they did a total turnaround. Plans were scrapped after the box office failure.
Learning Lessons: What Do Other Franchises Stand to Learn?
What do other franchises stand to learn? The Mummy shows the importance of vision. It shows the risks of studio interference. Pay attention, other studios.
Conclusion: Leave The Past Behind, Welcome The Future
The Mummy died because of studio interference. The casting decisions and some narrative issues hurt it as well.
Creative vision is crucial. Character arcs and powerful storytelling are everything. All these factors are crucial for launching a franchise.
The Mummy (2017) was a nasty blot. On the other hand, here is hoping Universal\’s monster movies will enjoy a sunny path.