Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is even scaring away the Brendan Fraser trilogy in one way.
Ahead of its release, reviews of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy were very mixed to negative. As the first iteration of its kind to push the hard R-rating, the horror film delivers on the creepy and gory elements that elicit strong reactions for the most grotesque visuals. While it delivers on style, it lacks substance, as critics found issues with the imbalanced tone and uneven storytelling. Moreover, some have described the film as a copycat of Evil Dead Rise, which Cronin also directed, but with mummies at the center instead of zombies.
The new horror movie holds a 45% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with over 121 reviews, but the most important voices are the audiences, who have finally given their verdict. Lee Cronin’s The Mummy currently has a solid 77% audience score on the site, clearly indicating that they disagree with the majority of the critics. In fact, it has now set a new Rotten Tomatoes record, earning the highest-rated audience score in The Mummy franchise. It breaks the 27-year record held by Brendan Fraser’s The Mummy, which had 75%.
The Mummy Movies
Rotten Tomatoes’ Critics Score
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
The Mummy (1999)
63%
75%
The Mummy Returns (2001)
46%
63%
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)
13%
30%
The Mummy (2017)
15%
35%
Lee Cronin’s The Mummy (2026)
45%
77%
It’s worth noting that the audience score also outranks the majority of The Mummy movies from the Universal Classic Monsters era, including the original 1932 version (71%). It also outdoes the Hammer and Stephen Sommers series, except for The Scorpion King: Book of Souls, which has a 79% audience score. That itself is a spinoff of The Mummy trilogy and a direct-to-video release in 2018.
Whereas critics emphasized the narrative problems, audiences were more engaged by the movie’s gory visuals and horror factor. Natalie Grace, who portrays the possessed eldest daughter, has been called the standout for her creepy performance. It may not be a traditional Mummy movie, but the suspense was enough to keep moviegoers invested in the fresh direction of the story.
VERONICA FALCÓN as Carmen in New Line Cinema’s, Atomic Monster’s and Blumhouse’s “LEE CRONIN’S THE MUMMY.” A Warner Bros. Pictures Release.Photo Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures
Blumhouse and New Line Cinema’s latest iteration follows a devastated family finally reconnecting with their eldest daughter after she went missing in Egypt for eight years. However, something sinister is afoot, as Katie is exhibiting very odd behavior that could endanger the family. Lee Cronin’s The Mummy cast features Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace, and Verónica Falcón.
The horror movie is unrelated to the Fraser movies, which even had Blumhouse posting several tweets on their social media to make that distinction clear. It’s because the film was produced by New Line Cinema, whereas the notable Sommer movies were made by Universal.
As of writing, it’s unclear whether Blumhouse or New Line Cinema will plan a sequel, but the ending of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy opens the door for more. Recently, the director stated that the movie’s future will depend on the audience, as he otherwise would be down to expand upon the movie’s lore. New projections are showing that the movie will make roughly $13 million in its opening weekend against its $22 million budget.
On the other hand, Universal Pictures is reviving the beloved era of the ’90s. The fourth Mummy movie will see Fraser, Rachel Weisz, and John Hannah return as the dynamic trio, while Radio Silence filmmakers Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who have earned a solid reputation in the horror genre, will take over the directing duties.
Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is now playing in theaters.
Release Date
April 17, 2026
Runtime
136 Minutes
Director
Lee Cronin
Writers
Lee Cronin
Producers
Jason Blum, James Wan, John Keville
