More than a decade before Universal's attempted Dark Universe and its Tom Cruise-led "Mummy"
reboot, their original efforts at bringing the classic monster back to the big screen
were certified hits. "The Mummy" trilogy, which kicked off in 1999 and concluded with
2008's critically panned "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," killed it at the box office,
raking in a collective $1.25 billion worldwide.
A major reason for the success of the first two "Mummy" films was the solid cast,
which helped revitalize the action-adventure genre by infusing it with both horror
and comedy. They took what could've been a set of campy period films and made them
appeal to a younger audience through witty dialogue and thrilling action.
Most generally tout Brendan Fraser as Rick O'Connell as the centerpiece of "The Mummy"
universe, but rising star Rachel Weisz's work as Evelyn "Evie" O'Connell proved just as integral.
Weisz's performance in "The Mummy" turned out to be her big break. She signed on to do "The Mummy
Returns" without question, but she's mysteriously absent from "Tomb of the Dragon Emperor,"
in which Maria Bello played Evie instead. The reason for Weisz's departure from the project
was actually laid to rest nearly 12 years ago, but hasn't necessarily become common knowledge.
When talks of a third film in the "Mummy" continuity began to pick up steam back in 2007,
so did discussions about why Rachel Weisz wasn't attached to the project.
One common rumor ran rampant about her distaste for the script,
which she reportedly felt went against Evie's character. Another was started by director Rob
Cohen, who believed it had something to do with Rick and Evie's 27-year old son,
Alex, whose inclusion would require Weisz to be aged up for the third movie.
Weisz put the whole debacle to bed during an interview back in 2008,
when she explained that she never got the chance to even look at the script. She'd also
just finished on Rian Johnson's "The Brothers Bloom" and was about to begin work on another
film immediately, so she wouldn't have a moment to spare. Couple that with her and Darren Aronofsky's
newborn son waiting for her at home, there was no time for a trip to China for 5 months.
"Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" was a critical flop and prompted
Universal to rethink their plans for a follow-up based around the Aztecs.
Little did Weisz know back then that she couldn't have pulled out of the series at a better time.
"Hey! Mom! I'm sorry I blamed you guys for raising the Emperor."
To say "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" suffered without Weisz would be an understatement.
The film is the lowest rated of the trilogy, with an abysmal 12% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Moviegoers didn't find it charming either, as its audience score was only slightly better at 30%.
In the audience comments on the aggregator site,
many franchise fans noted that the film took a hit with Weisz's absence. One viewer wrote,
"Ultimately the absence of Rachel Weisz and the change in location
and mythology are the biggest flaws in this film.
Weisz was a major part of the first two films and by having her replaced by Maria Bello,
the original character is lost and replaced with one that doesn't meet Weisz's performance."
Swapping out actors at the end of a trilogy is a huge risk. We wonder if it might have
been better to leave out Evie entirely to not frustrate and confuse the franchise's fans.
While Weisz wasn't in the film, there was a nice homage to her.
"Is the Scarlett O'Keefe character really based on you?"
"Honestly I can say she's a completely different person."
Bello praised the moment in an interview with Collider, saying,
"It was a great comment on it. I liked the idea that I wrote novels and the woman I wrote was this
amazing, beautiful Rachel Weisz ingenue and she was the character, because she's so perfect.
And then there's me, in my mansion, bored to death."
Following the release of "Tomb of the Dragon Emperor," Bello was on
board for another "Mummy" film, but Universal cancelled the project in 2012. The Tom Cruise
"Mummy" reboot in 2017 flopped hard, killing the planned "Dark Universe,"
so who knows what's in store for the franchise. It just might come back to life.
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