Although it has been a pretty great summer for blockbuster movies, 2017 hasn't been without its own set of misfires. Chief among these lackluster flicks is The Mummy, which has gotten the Dark Universe off to a rocky start at best. Everyone involved in this new franchise has quite a bit to reflect on looking forward, but none more so than director Alex Kurtzman. The screenwriter-turned-filmmaker was the man at the helm for this Dark Universe outing, and now it is unclear as to whether or not he will even opt to return. Kurtzman recently admitted:
You know the truth is, I don't know. I really don't know. I haven't really decided. Is the honest answer.
Alex Kurtzman's candid comments to IGN during the Television Critics Association press tour are not necessarily surprising. The Mummy debuted to an incredibly disappointing 16% "Rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and the film's financial performance paled in comparison to better summer films like Wonder Woman. Kurtzman's potential involvement will lean heavily on whether or not he's still interested in the franchise going forward, and whether the studio is still interested in him. As of right now he doesn't seem to have a clear answer.
Aside from the less-than-desirable critical reception that The Mummy opened to, it sounds as if Alex Kurtzman may have received very little creative freedom on the set of the film. Some reports have suggested that Tom Cruise played a significant role in overhauling the movie during the filming process, as well as during post-production, leading many to assume that the less experienced director may not have had much control over the final product. We don't know if these rumors are true, but if they are, then it stands to reason that the experience could've potentially soured Kurtzman on the Dark Universe as a whole.
With all of that said, it is worth mentioning that Alex Kurtzman isn't officially (a.k.a publicly) out yet. He's still listed as a producer on 2019's The Bride of Frankenstein, and as of right now, he will still return for other Dark Universe movies like Creature from the Black Lagoon, The Invisible Man, and even a Van Helsing reboot. At this point, he could stay or go, and neither decision would surprise us.
On that note, the next few years will be interesting for the Dark Universe. Even if Alex Kurtzman opts not to return, the franchise still has some of the biggest names in Hollywood backing some of its most important projects. From Javier Bardem as Frankenstein to Johnny Depp as The Invisible Man, the Dark Universe has managed to assemble an all-star ensemble that can rival anything Marvel or DC has to offer. Now we will just have to wait and see if these projects can live up to their A-list status.
We will keep you posted with more information concerning Alex Kurtzman's future with the Dark Universe as new details become available. The monster-themed franchise will expand even further when The Bride of Frankenstein hits theaters on February 14, 2019.
