Not unlike the recently-released Wonder Woman – Patty Jenkins’ wildly successful DC tentpole was chock-full of Easter eggs and subtle references, but no end-credits stinger – writer-director Alex Kurtzman has confirmed via IGN that The Mummy won’t include a post-credits scene because “that’s Marvel’s domain.”
Kurtzman, who is one of the key architects behind Universal’s Dark Universe saga alongside co-writer Chris Morgan, solicited questions relating to his imminent fantasy reboot and the wider DU in general. And given how The Mummy has been angled as ground zero of the so-called Dark Universe, one might assume that Kurtzman’s star-studded reboot would include some form a post-credits scene to tee up the next chapter in the franchise. Turns out that’s not the case, as the filmmaker wants to engineer his own form of world-building that doesn’t involve producing a carbon copy of the MCU and its many, many post-credits sequences.
Per IGN:
No, no, that’s Marvel’s domain. So render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s. Maybe it’ll feel more appropriate down the line, as the universe builds itself. I don’t think [anyone] wanted to be accused of ripping off what they did so well.
Constructing an interconnected universe around some of cinema’s greatest creatures certainly presents challenges of its own, and while there have been murmurings of a mirco-budget entry into Universal’s Dark Universe – horror maestro Jason Blum is reportedly mulling over the possibility – Kurtzman then discussed the scare factor of each installment.
The movies that I loved growing up were the movies that walked right up to the line of R. Where you feel like you’re they hold you in that state of suspense and terror but they don’t always cross it. Obviously, the most notable example was seeing Raiders as a kid, and it’s – that’s a really scary movie. The guy’s face melts at the end. At 8 years old, that’s shocking.
Universal and Alex Kurtzman will reanimate one of the industry’s greatest movie monsters in time for June 9th. Should all things go according to plan, The Mummy will get the ball rolling on a Dark Universe comprised of gods and monsters that pulls together the likes of The Invisible Man (Johnny Depp), Dr. Jekyll (Russell Crowe), Frankenstein’s Monster (Javier Bardem) and Bride of Frankenstein (Angelina Jolie?), the latter of which will be directed by Beauty and the Beast‘s Bill Condon.