The Mummy/Dark Universe - What Happened? 

Personally, a Darkverse would work if it's about Van Helsing and his descendants. basically, Live-action Castlevania. (changed it from Monsterverse, please move on to the next YT comment mistake)

Guillermo Del Toro continues to have the best "almost made it" filmography ever.

"How can you be sexier... THAN THIS" shows OG mummy cast, so damn true

Honestly, the Brendan Fraser version of The Mummy was some of the most fun I’ve ever had in a theater. A lot of movies are missing that fun factor.

Here lies the Dark Universe: It never scored.

That isolated clip of Cruise screaming will NEVER not make me laugh. Also, all the Guillermo del Toro projects that have failed to get off the ground never fail to depress me with thoughts of what could have been...

The best things to come out of the Dark Universe aren’t even part of it: The tie-in game, and The Invisible Man.

This “film” was 99% an advertisement for a stupid cinematic universe no one cares about and 1% a Mummy movie

The Bulk and Skull theme over Kurtzman’s credits is fucking amazing dude

The Dark Universe, like many company studios, try to force together a cinematic universe, and like those companies, failed, because... DON'T. RUSH. SHIT! Also helps to make the first movie, and first set of movies, good. Honestly, there are SO MANY movie franchises you can do trying to ape Marvel's success, because they're still trying lol

11:30 There is a scene in the movie where Russel Crowe's character refers to Tom Cruise's character as a "young man." Tom Cruise is two years older than Russel Crowe, it would not surprise me if Cruise rewrote some of the script.

"Everyone's favorite himbo" And Matt finally hits me with the cold truth that's been staring at me all these years, Rick o' Connell IS A HIMBO.

I feel two mistakes were made with the Dark Universe. 1.) Tom Cruise The believability of a film always rests with the cast chosen to play the characters. Which is why I believe casting Tom Cruise for the lead was a mistake. In several of Steven Spielberg's films, the casting choices really brought out the believability of the film. Films like Jaws, E.T, even Jurassic Park had actors that weren't really as known throughout the movie industry, with the most known usually being a supporting role, like Samuel L. Jackson. Making casting choices like this make the characters seem more like everyday people, something they said about the actors in Jaws. Tom Cruise is just too big of a name in the film industry, especially in the action genre. Not only that, but with the Brendan Fraiser films, he really pulled off that whole adventurous look. Tom Cruise on the other hand, just made this film come off as just another one of his action films. 2.) Opening the franchise with The Mummy When it comes to classic horror, whether it's Film or Literature, I think of Dracula or Frankenstein. So it seems like it would have made far more sense to open with one of those characters. I'm well aware of the classic Mummy film that stared Boris Karloff, but even then, it doesn't make much sense to me to kick off a franchise about Universal's classic horror flicks with the Mummy. The Mummy as a bad guy comes off more as a side villain next to Dracula or The Wolfman. It would be like if the DC Universe began with Aquaman or Marvel with Black Panther.

I was having a bad day and now hearing that Del Toro had the opportunity to create Monster Universe is heart breaking

Shit dude that Mummies Alive theme at the end brought back so many memories.

"It wasn't what I wanted it to be" - Alex Kurtzman, destroyer of IPs.

That Dark Universe was a massive bomb, but Mummy Demastered was the best thing that came out that concept, and if they made more movies, I would definitely want Wayforward to make more games around it.

Darn, I was hoping you'd show the clip where the mummy punches Tom Cruise into the air. It's such a Loony Toons moment. makes me laugh every time.

Marvel Studios: "Let's tie things together with some post-credits stingers and a couple recurring characters then let's see how we do with an Avengers movie." Universal: > SMEARS A BIG SMELLY "DARK UNIVERSE" LOGO IN FRONT OF EVERYTHING

This one really does hurt. With the DCEU you can see some legit passion and love for the source material, as misguided and poorly executed as it was. With the Godzillaverse they at the very least got the feel and vibe of the monsters right. But with the "Dark Universe" it literally feels like someone said "Just slap the name on the marquee and we'll work out the actual movies later." It was all, from frame one, about branding and hype than anything approaching any actual substance. Now it would be easy (and probably not entirely incorrect) to say the first stumbling block was casting Cruise of all people for the official outing. But even Space Jebus himself was only a symptom of a far deeper and far more damaging problem at the root of the whole venture. A self imposed blind spot that crippled things from the get go and made every decision after only worse. And it was namely this: Yes, strictly speaking Universal did do the whole 'Shared universe" with its monsters before. Yes, monster mashes of Dracula, Frankenstein, The Wolfman, the Phantom of the Opera, The Hunchback, Jekyll and Hyde, The Invisible Man and the Creature from the Black Lagoon comes with it a baked in and hardcore ready made audience and fanbase who would indeed pack theaters and buy merch. But here is the trick, the thing that stands in the way of that sweet, sweet franchise cash cow... These are not superheroes. These are monsters. Classic monsters sure. Monsters diluted by time, cultural shifts, and ubiquity of course. But they are the stars of the show. The things people are supposed to come and see. What big ticket actors you get to play them isn't important. What headliners you have facing them isn't important. If you are going to make a "Dark Universe" the first and foremost thing that has to be up front and center is making a good and mostly importantly scary, monster movie. We're not there to watch Ethan Hunt make his Mr. Intensity face or Russel Crow be overpaid to give exposition. We're there to watch a living curse exact unholy vengeance on those who dared to disturb its rest and looking scary, gross, and mind blowing doing it. And that's where the Dark Universe utterly fumbled the ball right out the gate. You want a scary Mummy movie? Team of excavators gets stuck in an underground temple complex and are systematically picked off one by one by...something as they try to find a way out. Crank up the closed off, claustrophobic vibes. Play with the audience expectations as if what's hunting our meatbags really is mystical or mundane. Have the few survivors get out only to end up black bagged and boxed by some shadowy organization or individual that hints there are other such horrors out there. Boom. Done. You can't tell me you couldn't get 90 minutes and under a cost of 75 million movie from that. And from there? This isn't nearly has hard or complicated as some apparently think it is. Dracula is a stalker and sexual predator who passes on blood born disease. A walking plague psychological manipulator who plays with your fears and mind. Frankenstein is the story of a man who played god and unleashed ruin on his life through his own hubris and refusal to take responsibility for what he wrought. The Wolfman/Jekyll and Hyde are classic split personality/untamed murderous side stories. The Gillman practically screams Lovecraft connections with Deep Ones and humans crossbreeding with things they should not. The Phantom is an ugly incel who stalks and manipulates an innocent woman and reasons if he can't have her no one will. Make movies. Make horror movies. Make good horror movies. Make good scary horror movies one at a time that stand up on their own, THEN sprinkle in connections or cross pollinations or little details common between them to tie them together. Set up some monster vs monster action or maybe force a few to join together against a common or worse foe. Then you really could have a "Dark Universe" worthy of its name and legacy.

Dude... I can't even begin to imagine how good a Frankenstein movie done by Del Toro would be. Especially if it's his favorite. I could see him putting so much love and care into making it stellar and unique.

6:53 Man I feel dirty even being reminded of it.

I wouldn't call that too depressing, I mean, Del Toro practically remade Creature From the Black Lagoon anyway and got two Oscars for it. So, all's well that ends well. ^^

The use of Bulk and Skull's theme while discussing Alex Kurtzman and his grubby fingerprints tainting everything they touch was editing humor at its very finest. Top-tier stuff. What I got is what I wanted.

Funny thing is, Universal could have had their “Dark Universe” even before Marvel during the early ‘00s with The Mummy franchise, but instead of developing individual films focusing on other monsters leading up to a single Monster Mash film, they decided to go ahead with the Monster Mash with Van Helsing, which…eh. It did what it was supposed to do, but it was way too campy and didn’t quite make for a growing Monster universe. A shame, cuz I really like monster films and games.

It's pretty funny knowing that even though Universal basically started the idea of Cinematic Universe's with their classic monster films , they could never recapture that same magic no matter how many times they tried(yet I hear some would say Van Helsing was the best of those films).

It's easy to forget that the MCU is the product of insane talent, unheard of restraint/foresight, and a gamble gone right. It's kind of a miracle it exists!

And now that you've remembered, we need a Dracula 2000 episode.

4:57 Sofia Boutella's back still hurts from carrying all the sexiness

9:41 make it happen! Make a "what happened?" Episode of battlefield earth!

The best thing to come out of the Dark Universe was The Mummy Demastered game by WayForWard.

That "...why" clip from The Scorpion King fucking got me.

I will always remember this as the movie that pissed me off, a mythology nerd who's done years of research, so much that I sent my best friend into laughing fit because I bitched so much about it.

The Monsters HAVE been brought together effectively: the series "Penny Dreadful" used the literary bases of the characters and totally owned it with artistic license and they used a time period setting where they all seemed to really work convincingly.

The Dark Universe is one of those things where you wish you could look into the alternate universe where things could've gone better. What if Del Torro did essentially make a Monsterverse and beat Marvel to the punch on that whole "Cinematic Universe" thing? What if they didn't just let Tom Cruise ruin everything and they actually did focus on the supernatural elements? What if they had actually let the director make a film like what The Invisible Man was, where it was his vision and didn't just rely on you knowing big names to try and get your butt into theatre seats? It's one of the biggest wastes of potential the movie industry saw in the past decade

This sucks. I was looking foreward so much to the “dark universe” those old monster movies are my absolute jam and i would have greatly enjoyed a more supernatural retelling of these stories focusing on the monsters as protagonists rather than stupid unintelligent monsters (Frankensteins monster needs to be just as smart if not smarter than his creator. I despise the shambling groaning caricature he is in modern media.) I would have also enjoyed a team up movie or two as well. Van helsing was great and if Godzilla monster fights can come back then a smaller scale werewolf vs vampire or etc. should come back as well.

I wish we could get a modern Jekyll & Hyde film. I think that concept could be really amazing as a modern psychological horror flick _IF_ it was handled by the right people.

Off the heels of this I’d like to see a ‘wha happun’ to Brendan Frasier!

I will always remember this movie with the trailer where they released it mistakenly without any sound effects or music. Just Tom Cruise and co. being tossed around the plane screaming with nothing else but their voices recorded. 🤣 Edit: Technically it's only the beginning had the missing audio. It managed to fix itself by the end (sort of?). I really thought they were trying something experimental up until the pilots started getting hit by the birds. Also who could forget the very famous line: "No! Mmmmm!

I don't know much but I know the Bulk and Skull theme is way too dignified for Alex Kurtzman

Can we take a moment and acknowledge how fun The Mummy Demastered tie-in video game was?! Wayforward needs a video about how they make great tie-ins to horrible projects like Demastered and their Alien Infestation game originally being an Alien Colonial Marines companion game.

7:21 This photo is so hilarious to me because in it, Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe appear to be about the same height. Like, nobody involved thought to say “this looks unrealistic; let’s not do it like this.”

The Mummies Alive intro was greatly appreciated

The big problem with a dark universe concept is what these characters do when they’re together. They’re not superheroes.

I remember being so into the concept and as soon as I saw Cruise I was like "That was nice for a minuet"

I'm sorry, I can't stop laughing at the part where Alex Kurtzman claims that he need complete control to make a good movie. So this must mean he's never had complete control over a single project he's work on, right?

Absolutely love when we look at movies on this show.

When Del Toro was mentioned, I thought you were gonna bring up how The Shape of Water came out the same year and did a much better job at reimagining one of Universal's famous monsters (in this case, Creature from the Black Lagoon). I had no idea he was offered to make a Frankenstein movie for Universal, and now I'm sad that it didn't happen.

It worked for Marvel because it's something that they ALWAYS did. Every Marvel product has some kind of crossover. The comics, the cartoons, the video games, everything. When they finally had a studio to make their own movies, it was only natural that the characters coexisted. But every other studio trying to do the same thing with ONE big blockbuster that mashes everything together in one shot is laughable. I'm a DC guy, but both Warner and Universal are doing laughable attempts.

I hope in the future, you could do a what happened? episode on TMNT 3

Universal Monsters was the original shared universe should of been easy

The thing is that it's *absolutely* possible to make a shared universe based on classic horror monsters, whether you want to make them the protagonists or antagonists. The issue, though, is you need at least three things to make it work: 1) A reliable stable of actors willing to commit to being a part of multiple films over the course of many years. 2) A broad but flexible plan to explain how these franchises interlink (so you can have teamups/crossovers). 3) A series of movies that stand well on their own in addition to working as part of a shared universe. They may have had 1), they barely had 2), and they definitely did not have 3), so the project was doomed from the start.

What made the Brenden Fraser's Mummy work was the setting and characters. As a kind I loved the Egypt scenery and that it had an Indiana Jones vibe. The new one just lacks that unique atmosphere and soul.

I was disappointed Dracula Untold couldn't had been the kickstart for the 'Dark Universe' I thought it was decent by itself, and the sequel bait ending...dammit I wanted to see a follow up to it! I can't put it down as to why it wasn't a success, it just may be that 'shared universe' model really only does work for Marvel.

the best thing to come out of this movie is the Demastered Mummy game by Wayforward that is a great metroidvania game with a banger soundtrack. really worth checking out for the soundtrack alone.

As a construction worker, when we're building a house we make sure the first floor is built upon a solid foundation. What we don't do is set fire to the structure and promise a fire extinguisher be placed on the second floor.

Dracula Untold was actually a pretty solid film and I’m sad we’re probably never going to see that version of the character again

At least the retro video game was great!

The problem that plagued every Cinematic Universe since Marvel's was that they all wanted to rush to their "Avengers" movie. They all failed to recognize that the Avengers is the payoff to a setup. You MUST give each character their own movie first, with some hints to the payoff hear and there (end credit scenes for best placement), but NEVER getting in the way of the individual movie's plot. THAT... is why they fail!

My boy Del Toro would have absolutely killed it as the Dark Universe's own shipmaster. His vision would/could have been something truly special and full of heart and Horror.

Amazing to think Brendan Fraser outgrossed Tom Cruise on this one. I always get amused thinking about that. Fraser Mummy and Mummy Returns, not the greatest movies, but beat Cruise by a few miles. Ignore that 3rd film, Dragon Emperor...bleh

Sin City 2's nine years in development hell and subsequent failure might make for a good episode.

It took me a minute to recognize Kurtzman's name I admit, but when I did I let out a small 'oh no.' But yeeeeeeeeah, Universal jumped the gun a bit. They wanted to have their cake and eat it too, assuming they'd get sequels while Marvel or indeed the Monsterverse just played it safe. Made a good film, first.

5:45 You know you're in for a ride when the Bulck and Skull music starts playing

I really think a new Universal Monsters/Dark Universe film series could've worked, but i think what shot this in the back before it could get going - well, among many things you illuminated here - was that The Mummy really wasn't the best story to lead out of the gate with, even if it was the most recognizable property. In the original and the 90s movie, the titular Mummy isn't actually the main character. They get a bit of backstory, but they're really more just a force the ACTUAL protags deal with. Compare that to the Wolfman where you see him overcome by the curse and, or Frankenstein where you see the monster stitched together and brought to life. It's about the monster more than the people trying to kill it, and you feel sadness more than relief when they're finally dispatched. Even a Dracula origin story a la Untold or even the prologue of Coppola's movie where he's re-framed as a noble man who was forced to become a vampire might have done better to launch the Dark Universe...but no, we got the wet fart that was Tom Cruise running from very occasionally a far more interesting milennia-old egyptian sorceress.

If Guillermo del Toro was on charge of the Dark Universe, that would be an amazing sight

A lot of people don't realize that the classic Universal Monster movies were given a reboot in the 1950s and 60's by Britain's Hammer Studios. And it was a huge box office success. Their Frankenstein, Dracula and Mummy movies were each given several sequels and Scorsese will tell you he's still a big fan of these movies today (along with many other directors of that generation.) Universal should look to why Hammer was so successful with the material and stop trying to recreate MCU.

still remember seeing that trailer with the no sound before a movie at the theater, even the operator at the theater ran it twice, i'm guessing to double check and confirm that yep, trailer was cut wrong

"... it was a different time" It was in that moment this movie started becoming ironically okay

So glad I’m not the only one that knows Rock “The Dwayne” Johnson’s true name

I have a feeling that if Kurtzman had been left to do his thing without any interference, the movie would've been even worse.

Man, imagine instead of Russel Crowe playing Dr Jekyll, Brendan Fraser appeared playing Rick O'Connell. He's trying to assemble a team because he remembers how insane things got back in the day.

I remember watching a test screening of The Mummy with my friend. I don't recall ever laughing quite so hard in a movie theater. I was in tears by the end.

Speaking of rushed cinematic universes, could you do John Carter next?

I swear hearing "Kurtzman" is a worst curse then a any ancient king can throw on you

The fact you used Mummies Alive as the Outro is highly amazing!

I was literally just thinking about looking up how Tom Cruise killed the dark universe

I remember watching Angry Joe's review of this and learning about how it's the first (and only) Dark Universe movie. Very excited to see how it stopped so quickly 🙃

Great video Matt. And WOW! 17:02 Was NOT expecting the Mummies Alive theme😆

A dark universe or any films about the iconic monsters made by Guillermo d toro would be so damn good given his filmmaking abilities but on top of that his amazing ability and skills specializing in the genre

4:57 - He gets it! The Mummy (1999) is my favorite movie of all time. But I remember being really excited they were doing a version with a lady mummy (Ahmanet looks really cool), and wondering what they'd do with the idea. But...they just really didn't do anything at all. And like you said, I was really confused as to what the movie was supposed to be in the first place. If Tom Cruise fucked up this movie, it sounds like he did because he's a one trick pony with his boring action schlock.

This was definitely a blessing in disguise considering how good the most recent Invisible Man was and any future projects.

That Defenders of the earth clip at the end has got to be a Weekly Planet reference :) so excited you've done this!

8:23 "Rock 'The Dwayne' Johnson." Took me a sec, but I love that joke.

Somewhere off in an alternate reality, the "Dark Universe" is kicked off by a remake of "Monster Squad", and is in it's 2nd phase.

The failure of the Dark Universe still saddens me. It had so much potential. Personally, I think The Wolfman and Dracula Untold were both very underrated movies that could have been good starts to the Dark Universe if people have given them a chance. Instead, The Mummy ended up being the official start, and it was easily the worst of the three movies.

That bulk and skull theme got me good. Another great video matt

I read an article once that starts with Del Toro was working with someone on a sculpture of his version of Frankenstein's monster for the potential film that never was. I'd kill to see that sculpture. Damn shame he'll probably never at least make a Frankenstein film, both for him because he loves the story so much and for us because I'm sure it'd be fucking awesome.

The Mummy and Dark Universe was always good for a laugh (Or incredibly awkward scream in a plane), but learning that we could have had Guillermo del Toro directing Doug Jones as Frankenstein's Monster but didn't just ruined my day.

Kurtzman is the reason all of the new live action Star Trek properties are terrible. He even managed to somehow ruin the character and legacy of Jean-Luc Picard. But for all its flaws, Into Darkness is somewhat watchable because of Cumberbatch’s performance. The Discovery and Picard series should be used to interrogate terrorists.

You really put the music from that pyramid stage in Castlevania Portrait of Ruin in the background, splendid

HA! That Mummies Alive! opening at the end caught me off guard and made me vibe along... Nice one. 🙏🥋👊❤️

3 things, 1. HOW could you forget Dracula 2000 and its amazing soundtrack B. The Scorpion King was amazing 2. With Jurassic World and Fast and Furious crossover rumors happing, Look into the Original Jurassic Park 4 with its thoughts of hybrid human dinos. I remember an old old website that i went to daily in anticipation for any new information on it

Can you please look at Hellboy 2019? I don't really know why it failed.

love ur choice of portrait of ruin tracks king

Nice video as always!.... Okay, waiting for this Momiji vid is KILLING lmao. It's like spongebob saying he doesn't need the water! C'mon give it to me!

I have to wonder if it had worked, who their main antagonist would have been? The Devil? Old ones? A clash of old school monsters vs the 80s slashers like Jason and Freddie?

Corporate suits trying to copy Marvel was the funniest thing in this last decade.

Ending this with the Mummies Alive theme was such a blast to my nostalgia gut!

Absolutely love to Tepes reference man!!!!