AceShowbiz - The Mummy from Blumhouse is poised to break new ground within its legendary franchise as the longest entry ever made. Directed and written by Lee Cronin, this upcoming horror film follows a family whose missing daughter reappears after eight years, turning what should be a joyous reunion into a terrifying ordeal. The film stars Jack Reynor, May Calamway, Laia Costa, Natalie Grace, and Verónica Falcón, with producing credits that include James Wan, Jason Blum, and John Keville.

According to information provided by AMC Theaters and Fandango, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy will have a runtime of 133 minutes (two hours and 13 minutes). This surpasses the previous record set 25 years ago by Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz’s The Mummy Returns, which ran for 129 minutes (two hours and nine minutes). This milestone also makes it the longest movie in the entire franchise since its inception in 1932, as earlier entries from the classic and Hammer eras never exceeded 94 minutes.

The extended duration is just one aspect of how Lee Cronin’s The Mummy distinguishes itself. It will be the first film in the franchise to receive an R-rating, a notable departure from the series’ history. The Fraser-led trilogy all earned PG-13 ratings, while the earliest films held ratings such as “Approved,” “Not Rated,” or PG, reflecting the rating system changes following the end of the Hays Code in 1968.

Here is a breakdown of the longest films in the franchise to date:

• Lee Cronin’s The Mummy (2026): 133 minutes
• The Mummy Returns (2001): 129 minutes
• The Mummy (1999): 125 minutes
• The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008): 112 minutes
• The Mummy (2017): 110 minutes

Despite sharing the franchise title, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is a reimagining unrelated to the popular films starring Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. This distinction arises because the new film is distributed by Warner Bros., whereas Universal Pictures produced the original trilogy directed by Stephen Sommers. The story of “The Mummy” itself belongs to the public domain, allowing multiple studios to produce their own versions.

To avoid confusion, Blumhouse has publicly emphasized in social media announcements that Brendan Fraser is not in Lee Cronin’s The Mummy. This is significant because Universal Pictures has confirmed that a fourth installment in their franchise, titled The Mummy 4, is in development. That film is expected to reunite Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, and John Hannah and is scheduled for release on May 19, 2028, with filming anticipated to begin in August 2026.

The upcoming fourth installment will be directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett of Radio Silence, who have made a name for themselves in horror with films like Ready or Not, two Scream movies, and Abigail. Notably, the third Universal Mummy movie, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, which featured Maria Bello replacing Rachel Weisz, is considered non-canonical in the series’ timeline.

Meanwhile, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy will end a nearly decade-long hiatus for the franchise. The last film inspired by the concept was the 2017 action-oriented reboot starring Tom Cruise, which aimed to launch Universal’s Dark Universe. Unfortunately, that film underperformed financially, grossing $409 million worldwide against a hefty $125-195 million budget, leading Universal to cancel its shared universe plans that had included stars like Johnny Depp and Russell Crowe.

With its April 17, 2026 release date, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy will bring a fresh, horror-driven approach to the franchise, emphasizing a darker tone supported by its R-rating and record-breaking runtime. Fans of the series can expect a unique experience that both honors and reinvents the legacy of a monster movie icon.

In summary, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy is set to become the longest and most mature installment in the franchise’s history, marking a significant evolution for this classic monster series while coexisting alongside Universal’s ongoing Mummy saga.