AceShowbiz - The Mummy directed by Lee Cronin is the latest chapter in the enduring franchise, but it also reveals a surprising link to another legendary horror series. Following his rise to fame with the 2019 indie horror The Hole in the Ground, Cronin took on the 2023 reboot Evil Dead Rise, which revitalized the Evil Dead saga by shifting its setting from a remote cabin to an urban high-rise.

After successfully breathing new life into the Evil Dead franchise, Cronin tackled an even older property with his R-rated, horror-focused reboot of Universal’s iconic The Mummy series. The original franchise dates back to 1932 with Lon Chaney’s portrayal of the cursed Egyptian artifact. However, this new film takes a starkly different tone and style, aligning more with contemporary horror trends. Notably, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy embeds a subtle but definitive canonical connection to the Evil Dead universe.

In an interview with Collider, Cronin disclosed that an archaeological professor mentioned in the movie shares a last name with key characters from Evil Dead Rise. This detail implies that the new The Mummy exists within the same continuity as all previous Evil Dead films, as Evil Dead Rise itself did not reboot the franchise’s existing canon.

This shared universe revelation makes sense given the tonal similarities between the two films. Lee Cronin’s The Mummy delivers a gory, blackly comedic horror experience more reminiscent of an Evil Dead movie than the classic adventure-horror tones of previous Mummy films. The plot begins with the kidnapping of a young girl by mysterious figures and jumps forward several years to her discovery inside a sarcophagus—alive but exhibiting disturbing behaviors.

The film’s narrative leans heavily into possession and supernatural horror, diverging significantly from traditional takes on the The Mummy mythology. Critics have noted that its story shares more in common with possession horror classics like The Exorcist or the upcoming 2025 film Bring Her Back than with the 1999 Brendan Fraser blockbuster. By situating The Mummy within the Evil Dead universe, the film’s unique blend of gruesome horror and dark humor finds a logical home.

Lee Cronin’s choice to connect his reboot to the Evil Dead films also honors a longstanding tradition of Easter eggs and cross-references in horror cinema. This tradition dates back to 1980 when director Sam Raimi included a poster for Wes Craven’s The Hills Have Eyes in the original The Evil Dead. Craven returned the favor by placing an Evil Dead poster in the background of 1984’s A Nightmare on Elm Street. Raimi then referenced Freddy Krueger’s glove in 1987’s Evil Dead II, maintaining a playful dialogue between horror franchises.

By confirming that Lee Cronin’s The Mummy shares a universe with the Evil Dead movies, Cronin continues this beloved tradition into 2026, enriching the horror genre’s interconnected lore. This decision also breaks a 27-year pattern of standalone franchise reboots, offering fans an exciting expansion of the horror universe.

As Lee Cronin’s The Mummy hits theaters, its fresh approach and secret ties to one of horror’s most iconic franchises promise to intrigue both longtime fans and newcomers. The film’s melding of brutal horror with dark humor and supernatural possession adds a bold new chapter to both the The Mummy and Evil Dead mythologies.

In summary, the new The Mummy is not just a reboot; it is a strategic expansion of a shared horror universe pioneered by Lee Cronin. This connection deepens the narrative possibilities for future projects and pays homage to decades of horror filmmaking traditions, delighting genre enthusiasts and setting a fresh precedent for interconnected storytelling.