The Brendan Fraser Mummy sequel now has a name. Universal Pictures announced Thursday that the film will be called The Mummy: Book of the Dead, according to The Hollywood Reporter, and it is set to hit theaters on Oct. 15, 2027.

Fraser is back as Rick O’Connell, the treasure hunter he played in the 1999 original, and Rachel Weisz returns as Evie O’Connell. For fans who have followed the Fraser and Weisz era since the start, that pairing is the main draw.

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the Radio Silence duo, will direct from a script by David Coggeshall, whose work includes The Family Plan.

When does The Mummy: Book of the Dead open?

Universal has set the release for Oct. 15, 2027. That is exactly one year after the studio unveiled the title, so fans have a clear countdown to the theatrical debut.

The rest of the cast includes John Hannah, Michael Johnston, Numan Acar, Kevin J. O’Connor and Oded Fehr. Hannah played Jonathan, Evie’s brother, in the 1999 film.

The property goes back much further than the Fraser films. Universal’s classic monster line started in 1932 with Boris Karloff in the title role of The Mummy, and a number of versions followed over the decades. The Fraser and Weisz run began in 1999 with a film of the same name directed by Stephen Sommers.

That 1999 film followed treasure hunter Rick as he headed out on an adventure with Evie and her brother, and the group accidentally awakened a mummy. The movie went on to spawn several follow-ups.

Book of the Dead is a direct sequel to the 1999 film and to The Mummy Returns, released in 2001. The series also has a rough patch on record: the 2008 entry, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, was poorly received, and a Tom Cruise-led reboot came in 2017.

Readers catching up can start with the 1999 film, since the new movie is a direct sequel to it and to The Mummy Returns.

The 1999 movie also led to the 2002 spinoff The Scorpion King, which marked Dwayne Johnson’s first lead film role. Across its five theatrical features, the franchise has passed $1.8 billion at the global box office, according to the report.

The producing team includes Sean Daniel, who has produced five previous titles in the franchise, along with William Sherak, James Vanderbilt and Paul Neinstein for Project X Entertainment. Clayton Townsend also produces, and Fraser and Jason F. Brown of Hivemind serve as executive producers.

The directors have their own recent history with franchise revivals. Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett helmed 2022’s Scream, which brought that series back, and its follow-up Scream VI. This year they directed Ready or Not 2: Here I Come.

The 25th anniversary of the 1999 film has also prompted reflection. Sommers, who directed it, told The Hollywood Reporter that he remains pleased with its lasting cultural impact.

“It’s so funny how it just never went away,” said Sommers, who also helmed The Mummy Returns.

Sommers pointed to steady television airings and the residual checks, which he called great. He said the movie has won over a wide audience.

The announcement came on Thursday from Universal, and pairing the title reveal with a fixed release date gives the project a firm schedule.

Fans will have to wait until October 2027 to see the new chapter on screen, and the title gives them a name to track until then.

Quick answers

When does The Mummy: Book of the Dead open?
Universal has set the release for Oct. 15, 2027, a year after the title was announced, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Who is directing the Brendan Fraser Mummy sequel?
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, the Radio Silence duo, will direct from a script by David Coggeshall.

Who returns in The Mummy: Book of the Dead?
Brendan Fraser returns as Rick O’Connell and Rachel Weisz returns as Evie O’Connell.

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Source: The Hollywood Reporter