“Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” Delivers Plenty of Gore-Heavy Horror And A Messy Narrative

When I first started seeing the trailers for “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy,” they really didn’t intrigue me too much yet. I was kind of curious to see a new take on a “Mummy” story. And, after finally streaming the movie on HBO Max, I can easily say that while it did have potential and there are a few moments that do stand out, this take on “The Mummy” missed its mark.

The young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace. Eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she’s returned to them. However, what should be a joyful reunion soon turns into a living nightmare as she starts to transform into something truly horrifying.

After enjoying what Lee Cronin did with “Evil Dead Rise,” I was a little anxious to see what he could bring for his take on “The Mummy.” I knew this wasn’t going to be the traditional adventure movie and I appreciate the bold, scary style he brought to this movie. Now, while it can be brutally intense at times, the story does feel messy and heavily relies too much on gross out moments.

It was definitely a bold move to change the well-known adventure style of “The Mummy” and give it a possession spin. Throughout this new take, there are times where the movie does an alright job blending traditional Egyptian lore with “The Exorcist”-style possession themes. “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” also features some stand out practical effects that make the body horror segments a bit on the stomach-churning side (and if you love the body horror stuff, then you may like this one).

Before getting to the heavily mixed stuff, I just have to give a shout out to a couple of stand out moments: the grandmother’s wake and the claustrophobic climax in the family home. Those moments actually do a great job keeping you on the very edge of your seats, and since I won’t spoil what happens during those moments, you’ll have to see the scenes for yourself.

Even though I applaud the tone shift of this iteration of the “Mummy” story, it hardly felt like any kind of “Mummy” movie at all and almost seems like a “Mummy” movie “in name only.” By swapping out classic tombs and desert action sequences for an “Exorcist”-style possession story, it wouldn’t interest anyone who enjoys the traditional “Mummy” adventures. Also clocking in at two hours and 13 minutes, this movie did seem a tad too long.

After watching the movie, it really almost seems like a blend of “The Mummy” and “Evil Dead,” as we get twitchy, deadite-like body movements, crude taunts and lots of gore

mixed in with a little bit of Egyptian lore. “Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” also makes a few character choices that are really illogical, such as why would doctors or authorities sent an unstable, almost corpse-like girl found inside an ancient sarcophagus straight home instead of a facility.

“Lee Cronin’s The Mummy” received a polarized, intensely visceral overall response with critics and horror fans praising its atmospheric dread and practical body horror, while others felt it leaned into familiar possession tropes rather than traditional monster mythology.

MPA: Rated R strong disturbing violent content, gore, language and brief drug use   (running time 132 minutes)

Initial release date: April 17, 2026

Streaming services: HBO Max/various PVOD services  (as of working on this review)

https://youtu.be/XJ0uv-phsDk?si=gNOYbCovxgZ4LCxL

• Production originally utilized the simple title "The Mummy" throughout the initial phases of development. Producer Jason Blum proposed the inclusion of the director's name in the official title to establish a distinct brand identity for the standalone project. This specific branding distinguishes the 2026 film from the 1999 and 2017 Universal Pictures releases. Lee Cronin initially viewed the name branding as a bold choice before recognizing the necessity of separating his horror-centric vision from the action-oriented history of the franchise. Final marketing materials adopted the full title to communicate the project's status as a unique reimagining rather than a sequel or reboot of existing continuities.

• Following the success of Evil Dead Rise (2023), producer James Wan approached Lee Cronin about directing a Mummy film. Cronin initially held no particular interest in the property, as the wrapped-bandage archetype of the classic monster did not align with his sensibilities. He agreed after conceiving an approach that discarded the action-adventure template of previous franchise entries in favor of grounded supernatural horror, bringing the mummy into a domestic setting and building the story around possession, exorcism themes, and a family confronting the return of their long-missing daughter. Wan produced the film alongside Jason Blum, uniting their respective companies Atomic Monster and Blumhouse Productions on the project for New Line Cinema.