Lee Cronin’s ‘The Mummy’ Faces Alleged Setbacks After Reported Test Screening Issues
New reports suggest that Lee Cronin’s upcoming take on The Mummy, produced by Blumhouse and Atomic Monster, encountered significant problems during a recent secret test screening.
The reaction was apparently negative enough that there is now further reason to retitle the film and remove its connection to the mythos – in a move that appears aimed at preventing further damage to one of the most recognizable legacy horror properties in cinema history.
The project’s shift away from franchise tradition has been noted for months, and the proposed title – The Resurrected – reflects that ongoing repositioning. What was initially presented as a new visionary entry for a new era of Golden Age Monster films is now reportedly being reframed as a standalone horror release.
Cronin, known for Evil Dead Rise, had previously stated that his version of the creature would be unlike any prior interpretation. It seems he meant gorier with more body horror, as a report from World of Reel describes a particularly graphic sequence involving a scorpion entering a character’s mouth and severing their vocal cords.
This allegedly led to walkouts during the screening. Unconfirmed accounts also suggest producer James Wan may have left the showing early, though the studio, Warner Bros., recently dismissed that claim.
“Update: Since the publishing of this article, a representative on behalf of Warner Bros. Pictures has reached out to deny claims surrounding negative test screenings and James Wan’s alleged walk-out, stating the information was ‘completely untrue,’” Feature First said in their report.
Cronin’s storyline reportedly centers on a girl who returns eight years after disappearing in the desert, only to be revealed as the host for an ancient spirit. Test audiences allegedly criticized the pacing and cited an overreliance on geopolitical subplots that did not resonate.
Elsewhere, Universal – the originator of The Mummy and its shared stable of icons – is said to be shifting focus back to the 1999 continuity and exploring a new installment featuring Brendan Fraser.
If accurate, the decision could suggest established fan interest trumps experimental reinterpretations, and hurt business for the latter. Meanwhile, Lee Cronin’s Mummy is expected to move forward with its April 17, 2026, release date, as a separate entity.
The first teaser has just been released, and it looks, for now, as if the original title is staying. Also, you will see a quick glimpse of the scorpion scene mentioned above.
In an interview with IGN, Cronin explained his approach to The Mummy: “It’s an insane mashup to suggest, but [this film is] almost one part Poltergeist and one part Seven, but put through my lens and the way that I like to entertain people.”
He added, “I’m drawn towards the fear of the other,” the filmmaker noted, “which, when you go all the way back to the first [1932 Boris Karloff] movie, that idea of something that’s existing in the world that isn’t quite what it seems to be. I think that was probably a bigger draw than a fantasy monster, actually.”
Finally, Cronin noted, “We all have a frame of reference for perhaps why the great and the good or the rich and the famous were mummified in those times. But what about the mummification processes and purposes we haven’t heard about? I’ll go and hunt about the things maybe we don’t know enough about, or take inspiration from something [that’s] a little unspoken, and then go and get really creative with that.”
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