James Jacks and Sean Daniel, the film’s producers, originally wanted to remake The Mummy in 1992. Universal Studios supported them and set $10 million for a “low-budget horror franchise.” Jacks and Daniel knew one person who could help them, Clive Barker, a prominent horror filmmaker and writer. However, the producers’ vision differed from Barker’s.
Barker re-imagined the film to be set in a contemporary art museum that wanted to reanimate the mummies. It was a cultist kind of re-imagination. As Jacks put it, “Barker’s take was dark, sexual, and filled with mysticism.” But nevertheless, Jacks knew that “it would have been a great low-budget movie.” After numerous meetings that seemed to come no nearer to an agreement, Barker and Universal Studios lost interest in the project.
Weisz in a Horror Film
Everyone was shocked when it was announced that Rachel Weisz took on the role of Evelyn Carnahan. She wasn’t fond of horror films and no one had really expected her to jump into that genre, at least on the silver screen. She had performed as a theater actress and handled roles in thrillers pretty well, so she wasn’t completely unprepared to make the leap.
So, why would she accept the role offered by The Mummy? Simple. Weisz didn’t think of The Mummy as a standard horror film. She had been pressed with the same question during various interviews and press conferences and offered the same answer every time. “It’s hokum, a comic book world.” No wonder it was a blockbuster.
Arnold Vosloo
So, who was the brave actor who played the mummy? The role was brought to life by none other than the famous South African stage actor, Arnold Vosloo. Vosloo and Sommers had a connection that worked out pretty well for the film.
The actor agreed to play Imhotep, one of the Pharaoh’s adviser, but before taking the job, he said that he would only take the role if he “could do it absolutely straight.” Sommers agreed, and Vosloo did a smash hit job in the role. Vosloo added that coming from Imhotep’s point of view, “The Mummy is a skewed version of Romeo and Juliet.” But the film didn’t come to a tragic end in the cinemas. It was a success.
A Different Idea
Another director tried his luck and presented a new proposal. Joe Dante, the director of Gremlins, wanted Daniel Day-Lewis to play the role of the mummy. Lewis is a method actor known for deeply investing himself in the roles he plays and the rigorous character research he engages in before delving into a new role.
Dante’s version of the film was set in modern times, but it focused on the love story element embedded within the theme of reincarnation in the storyline. He also added a unique twist by introducing flesh-eating beetles to the plot; known as scarabs, these creepy crawlers were sacred in ancient Egypt. Dante’s vision was unique and intriguing, and clocked in at a measly $15 million budget, but it was still a no.
It’s A Yes
Stephen Sommers had a totally different approach to the remake in mind. He didn’t see it as dark and mystical or romantic reincarnation the way his failed predecessors had. He saw it as a whimsical, but kind of scary adventure, à la Indiana Jones.
He brought Jacks and Daniel into the picture and made his pitch. It would be as simple as the mummy giving the hero a hard time, a nuisance to be dealt with rather than a terrifying dark force. With a kiss of luck to an 18-page proposal, Sommers pitched the idea to Universal Studios. Guess what? Universal didn’t just love it. They marked up the budget from $15 million to $80 million, and the remake hit the big screen in 1999.