Russell Crowe in talks to develop a split personality for Mummy reboot

By Adam Poltrack Published May 4, 2016

russel crowe mummy jekyll hyde the water diviner russell 202928 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

For the past 15 years, Russell Crowe has been one of Hollywood’s steadiest A-listers but in a franchise-heavy movie business, he has somehow missed out on that particular gravy train. According to ScreenCrush, however, he may jump on board yet, albeit in a somewhat unlikely fashion.

The actor is reportedly in talks to play Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde in Tom Cruise’s upcoming Mummy reboot. No, we didn’t get our headlines crossed, it appears that Universal is setting up a Marvel-style monster movie universe and that Crowe could even play the good/bad doctor in several different films. While no one has signed on the dotted line just yet, there is mutual interest after talks fell through with both Tom Hardy and Javier Bardem.

Recommended Videos

Dracula, Wolfman, and Frankenstein projects are reportedly also in the works but it’s unclear at this point how the films will connect. After so many big-screen flops, it would certainly be nice to see a bit of life injected into Mary Shelley’s monster, but we’ll have to wait and see if Universal can pull this ambitious project off.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

In the meantime, Alex Kurtzman is helming the Mummy reboot, which is currently filming in London with a cast that includes Sofia Boutella (Kingsman: The Secret Service), Jake Johnson (New Girl), and, of course, Tom Cruise. It’s not clear exactly how Crowe’s character(s) come into play in this film and whether he would portray the benevolent Dr. Jekyll only, the maniacal Mr. Hyde only, or both of them. Either way, he would certainly be an intriguing addition to the cast.

The Mummy is currently scheduled for a June 9, 2017, release and is a reboot of the late ‘90s/early 2000s franchise that starred Brendan Fraser.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Adam is an A/V News Writer for Digital Trends, and is responsible for bringing you the latest advances in A/V…

Entertainment

The Godfather Part II at 50: Is this movie the greatest sequel ever made?

Al Pacino in The Godfather Part II.

Sequels are a way of life in Hollywood, and they've been around in some fashion since the dawn of cinema. But in 1974, it just wasn't common for an Oscar-winner for Best Picture to have a sequel two years later that won the same prize ... and more. Fifty years ago this month, The Godfather Part II changed the game for the industry and arguably surpassed The Godfather itself.

While many of The Godfather Part II's contemporary films -- like The Towering Inferno -- have faded from pop culture, this movie continues to influence every crime epic that came after it. It set the bar so high for a sequel that not even The Godfather Part III could come anywhere close to this film's heights. To celebrate the 50th anniversary of The Godfather Part II, we'll examine what makes the film resonate and determine whether it's the greatest sequel ever made.
The dual narratives are both compelling

Entertainment

5 great classic movies to watch on Christmas

A man talks to a cop in It's a Wonderful LIfe.

The Christmas season is filled with tradition. Some people decorate their tree together, others bake something or other. For some, though, the most meaningful part of the season is gathering around to watch a great movie. And no, we don't mean Wicked.

Classic movies sometimes get a bad rap, in part because they're old, and sensibilities were a little different when they were made. Even so, some of the best holiday movies ever made can most neatly be described as "classics," and we're recommending five of the very best for you to enjoy this holiday season.

Entertainment

5 great free movies to watch on Christmas

Robbie Amell and Leighton Meester in a festive store looking at one another, smiling in a scene from the movie EXmas.

Christmas is the season of giving. Few things feel better than gifting a present to a loved one. However, presents are not cheap. Buy enough of them, and the money adds up, cutting into your daily expenses. Assuming you like to watch movies, streaming services are probably a priority within your budget. Like holiday presents, streaming services are rather expensive.

To save money, take advantage of a FAST service, which stands for "free ad-supported television." These services are free at sign-up. A few ads will run during your feature presentation, but that's not a big deal, considering the movies are free. Plus, these services have a wide variety of holiday movies. Try streaming one of these movies below.