When 'The Mummy' film first came out, Brendan Fraser was a huge hit. Though his first 'The Mummy' film was a reprisal of a movie concept from the 1930s, fans were intrigued by Fraser's (well, and Rachel Weisz's) on-screen presence.
But after three movies (and Rachel ditching out before the last one), Brendan Fraser's fame seemed to burn out. While he's since explained the reasoning behind his hiatus from acting, fans still wonder why he wasn't tapped for the 2017 attempt at reviving 'The Mummy.'
Instead of reaching out to Brendan, Hollywood enlisted Tom Cruise for the movie, and it didn't end well.
What Happened To Brendan Fraser After 'The Mummy'?
After the third 'Mummy' film, Brendan Fraser sort of left Hollywood to focus on healing his mental and physical health. He also lost millions of dollars while off the Hollywood roster, but that's a separate issue.
When it came time to try and cash in on the film series that centered on ancient mummies coming back from the dead, Hollywood decided to go a new route. But why?
Why Did Tom Cruise Replace Brendan Fraser?
Fans have a few ideas on why Tom Cruise replaced Brendan Fraser for the attempt at reviving mummies once and for all. For one thing, Tom Cruise is recognized worldwide, which, the studio probably assumed, would draw massive audiences into the box office.
Plus, the plan was to launch a new franchise on the same old central theme. Being that Tom was already a 'Mission Impossible' action star, it made sense that the producers wanted to go with him to breathe life into the mummy concept.
Fans suggested that the studio wanted to "make a splash" with Tom, and also move to a "grittier" and "darker" tone. As one fan commented, the original 'Mummy' movies weren't that at all. Instead, they were "goofy, fairly colorful," and just plain funny sometimes.
Why Didn't Tom Cruise Appear In More 'Mummy' Films?
Unfortunately for the cast and crew of 'The Mummy' movies, the entire thing fizzled out after nearly two decades of effort.
Sure, fans watched the ratings sink for each of Brendan Fraser's 'The Mummy' films (there were three). But then, Tom Cruise's version tanked the worst, ending the film industry's efforts at reprising the original intrigue of 'The Mummy' a final time.
It was a solid effort, but fans can't help but wonder whether enlisting the help of Fraser for the reboot would've made it a hit. Or, at least, keep it from ranking so low on the box office charts.