One of the most consistently strong screenwriters of blockbusters action (Transformers, J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek), Alex Kurtzman is finally starting to get some choice directorial projects. Last December, it was announced that he would direct a Venom spin-off movie for Sony. Now, Kurtzman has been tapped to direct a reboot of The Mummy for Universal, as part of the studio’s new experiment to have an extended universe of monster films starring properties like Dracula, Frankenstein and The Wolf Man.
“Over the course of developing The Mummy, Alex has demonstrated such clarity and passion about this character and mythology,” Jeff Kirschenbaum, Universal’s co-president of production, told The Hollywood Reporter. “It became obvious that he is the perfect choice to be not only one of the narrative engineers of this new vision but its director as well.”
Kurtzman was already writing and producing the Mummy reboot with Fast and Furious scribe Chris Morgan before he signed on to direct the film, which due in theatres on April 22, 2016. Plot details are scarce, but the story will apparently take place in the present day and will be more of an action-adventure film a la Raiders of the Lost Ark than part of the horror genre.
Universal had been looking for a director to place on another Mummy film for some time, and had already called on Mama‘s Andrés Muschietti and Len Wiseman of Underworld fame to try their hand. However, this was also before the studio released word of their plan to expand their monster franchises. As Kurtzman waits for Venom to get the green light from Sony, his duties will likely be focused on this impending monster smash, so stay tuned as we’ll surely be hearing more on this one in the near future.
