Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz … Together Again in THE MUMMY 4 |

Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz … Together Again in The Mummy 4

Another installment in the series is coming.

I am a fan of this franchise, I have to admit it. I remember seeing the first one in theatres. It was a lot of fun and the audience had a great time. This is the very purpose of movies (and theatres). The best movies actually bring the audience together with collective laughter, gasps, screams, and even tears. The original Mummy was one of these films. It was fun.

When it comes to these monster films, there is an important formula. For me, the formula, or the “sweet spot” for Universal monster films, includes the following:

They should take place in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
They should be gothic mysteries with sparks of horror and mystery. It’s one of the reasons why Tom Cruise’s recent Mummy film felt a bit out of place for me … it was actually out of time.
Think about this for a minute and tell me if you agree or disagree: (The Strange Case of) Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde, Dracula, The Mummy, The Wolf Man, and The Invisible Man are all built for that era in time, in London, England perhaps, alongside the likes of Jack the Ripper, Sherlock Holmes, and Scotland Yard. The aesthetic should include gaslights in the cobblestone streets, foggy nights, and horse/buggies.
Science and medicine in these films should be in their infancies. As a result, mysteries should be more difficult to solve.
Travel should more of a challenge, with events happening on long train rides, or long boat cruises, or long caravans through deserts.

Now comes the news that Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are in talks to return in another Mummy. Outlets like Deadline are reporting that Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, known as Radio Silence, will be directing. They are best known for the great Ready or Not and also the recent Scream reboot film.

I like the idea and I will go see it. I have three questions:

Will Anold Vosloo be back as Imhotep (the Mummy)?
Do we ignore the fact that Weisz was not in the last film? Her role was recast and played by Maria Bello
Will Patricia Velasquez be back as Anck-su-namun?

There is no doubting the chemistry and humour between the two main actors in this franchise. For moviegoers who enjoy popcorn Summer flicks, this is good news.

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A Blanket of Steel by Timothy S. Johnston and from Fitzhenry & Whiteside, LTD. is the recipient of the 2024 GLOBAL Thriller Award GRAND PRIZE and the 2024 CYGNUS Award First in Category.

— Timothy S. Johnston, 12 November 2025

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Praise for Timothy S. Johnston’s A Blanket of Steel

“Fans of Clive Cussler’s NUMA Files will be delighted with Timothy S. Johnston’s undersea novels. Truman McClusky and Dirk Pitt are cut from the same adventurer’s cloth.” — Nick Cutter, author of The Deep and The Troop

“Action that ranges from close range combat to torpedo-fueled attacks. The result is a thriller that keeps moving from confrontation to confrontation … with constant danger and the vast depths of the ocean as a setting, there is always reason to keep reading.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Read the book and prepare to be blown away by one of the best writers I have ever had the pleasure to read. Timothy S. Johnston is simply amazing.” — FIVE Stars from Readers’ Favorite

“A Blanket of Steel is not simply a ‘daring do’ thriller … It’s prescient.” — Amazing Stories

“A priority selection. An action-packed story that is hard to put down. A Blanket of Steel is outstanding.” — D. Donovan, Sr. Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

“Innovative technology, Mac taking risks no one else would dare and thinking his way through to brilliant solutions … But the stakes are higher than they’ve ever been before. This is it. The countdown to the final battle … Johnston does an excellent job of keeping the tension taut as he plays with the reader’s perceptions of characters we thought we knew and trusted …” — SFcrowsnest

“Expect to be left breathless. Trust me here. Please. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN.” — Michael Libling, author of The Serial Killer’s Son Takes A Wife and Hollywood North: A Novel in Six Reels

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A BLANKET OF STEEL is out now!

WATCH THE GRIPPING BOOK TRAILER HERE.

FOR PURCHASE OPTIONS CLICK HERE

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A Blanket of Steel from Timothy S. Johnston and Fitzhenry & Whiteside, Ltd.

Book Cover & Jacket Copy:

AN UNSTOPPABLE THREAT!

A mysterious assassin has murdered Cliff Sim, Chief Security Officer of the underwater colony, Trieste. Cliff was a mountain of a man, highly trained, and impossible to defeat in combat. And yet …

Someone brutally beat him and left his broken body in a secret Chinese facility at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

And included a calling card for Truman McClusky, Mayor of Trieste.

Taunting him.

Mac has led the underwater colonies in their fight against the world’s superpowers. Climate change has devastated the surface; nations suffer famine, drought, rebellion, rising waters, and apocalyptic coastal flooding. But now, as Mac leads the underwater colonies to freedom and independence, he’s faced with the gravest threat of his life: a Russian assassin, hellbent on killing Mac and everyone he cares for. Now Mac must uncover the identity of the killer, face him in combat, and at the same time lead people in battle against the largest underwater force ever assembled. It’s Mac’s final test, and to win the war, he must use every tool at his disposal, including the most surprising and devastating underwater weapons ever invented.

If Mac fails, all hope is lost for the future of human colonization on the ocean floors.

But the assassin could be anyone …

Watch your back, Mac.

A Blanket of Steel is the most gripping thriller yet in The Rise of Oceania.

FOR PURCHASE OPTIONS CLICK HERE

The other books in The Rise of Oceania series by Timothy S Johnston:

The War Beneath 9781771484718
The Savage Deeps 9781771485067
Fatal Depth 9781554555574
An Island of Light 9781554555819
The Shadow of War 9781554556007