‘Obsession’s Michael Johnston In Early Talks To Join Next ‘Mummy’ Film From Universal Pictures

Michael Johnston, star of Curry Barker’s breakout Focus Features horror film Obsession, is in early talks for a role in The Mummy, the next installment in the iconic horror franchise from Universal Pictures, Deadline has confirmed.No word yet on the role to be played by Johnston. But he’ll star opposite the returning Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz and John Hannah should the deal make. Reps for Universal Pictures had no comment on the casting.Radio Silence’s Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are directing the next Mummy movie from a script by David Coggeshall (The Family Plan, Orphan: First Kill). Franchise veteran Sean Daniel is set to produce alongside William Sherak, James Vanderbilt and Paul Neinstein of Project X Entertainment, as well as Clayton Townsend, with Fraser and Hivemind’s Jason F. Brown exec producing. Pic is slated for release on October 15, 2027.

Revolving around one of Universal’s original movie monsters of the early 20th century, the Mummy films of the ’90s and ‘2000s contributed to Fraser’s rise as one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. The films follow the overseas adventures of his roguish American adventurer and former French Foreign Legion soldier, Rick O’Connell, who alongside English Egyptologist Evelyn Carnahan (Weisz), battles ancient curses from the likes of the resurrected Egyptian high priest Imhotep. Stephen Sommers directed both 1999’s The Mummy and 2001’s The Mummy Returns, both of which topped $400M worldwide, leading to Dwayne Johnson spinoff The Scorpion King and other titles.

Johnston plays Bear, the lovelorn twenty-something whose life is ruined by the One Wish Willow, in Obsession, which is now Focus’ top-grossing film of all time at over $458M worldwide. The project marks the actor’s big break, nearly 15 years into his screen acting career.Johnston’s talks for The Mummy were first reported by The InSneider.