# Lee Cronin's The Mummy
**Lee Cronin's The Mummy** is a 2026 American horror film written and directed by Lee Cronin that reimagines the mummy story as a possession thriller about a young girl who returns to her family after vanishing in the Egyptian desert. It was produced by [New Line Cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-line-cinema), Atomic Monster, and Blumhouse, distributed worldwide by [Warner Bros. Pictures](https://www.edgepedia.org/warner-bros-pictures), and released in North American theaters and IMAX on April 17, 2026, with international release beginning April 15.[1](https://www.blumhouse.com/film/lee-cronin-s-the-mummy) The possessive title was chosen in part at the suggestion of producer [Jason Blum](https://www.edgepedia.org/jason-blum), and it legally distinguishes the Warner Bros. film from Universal's near century-old Mummy franchise.[2](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/lee-cronins-the-mummy-review/) • [3](https://au.variety.com/2026/film/features/lee-cronin-unique-the-mummy-jason-blum-name-in-title-horror-35610/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director and writer | Lee Cronin, following his horror film *Evil Dead Rise*[1](https://www.blumhouse.com/film/lee-cronin-s-the-mummy) |
| Cast | Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace, with Veronica Falcón[1](https://www.blumhouse.com/film/lee-cronin-s-the-mummy) |
| Producers | James Wan, Jason Blum, and John Keville (Wicked/Good banner)[1](https://www.blumhouse.com/film/lee-cronin-s-the-mummy) |
| Release | April 17, 2026 in North American theaters and IMAX; internationally from April 15; streaming on HBO Max from May 19, 2026[1](https://www.blumhouse.com/film/lee-cronin-s-the-mummy) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lee_cronins_the_mummy) |
| Runtime and rating | 2 hours 14 minutes; rated R for strong violent content, gore, language, and brief drug use[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lee_cronins_the_mummy) • [5](https://apnews.com/article/4aceb9888cae38fb7d93291b99b839a7) |
| Box office | $13.5 million opening weekend in 3,404 locations, third place; $34 million worldwide against a reported $22 million production cost[6](https://apnews.com/article/965c2fb1e54a7789362077c1733ff8d3) • [4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lee_cronins_the_mummy) |
| Reception | 45% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer (207 reviews), 71% audience Popcornmeter, and a C+ CinemaScore[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lee_cronins_the_mummy) • [6](https://apnews.com/article/965c2fb1e54a7789362077c1733ff8d3) |
## Spoilers
### Premise
The story follows Charlie Cannon ([Jack Reynor](https://www.edgepedia.org/jack-reynor)), a television journalist whose young daughter Katie (Natalie Grace) disappears while the family is stationed in Cairo, Egypt. Eight years later, after the family has relocated to [New Mexico](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-mexico), Katie is found alive, sealed inside a mysterious tomb described as a 3,000-year-old sarcophagus, and is returned to the family. The reunion turns into a nightmare as her physical and psychological condition has changed drastically and she begins to transform into something horrifying.[1](https://www.blumhouse.com/film/lee-cronin-s-the-mummy) • [3](https://au.variety.com/2026/film/features/lee-cronin-unique-the-mummy-jason-blum-name-in-title-horror-35610/) • [7](https://www.boxofficepro.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/BxPro-CinemaCon-2026.pdf)
Charlie investigates his daughter's disappearance with the help of Detective Dalia Zaki ([May Calamawy](https://www.edgepedia.org/may-calamawy)), uncovering an ancient secret with terrifying consequences.[8](https://lsf.go.id/en/film/lee-cronins-mummy/1056) The possessing entity is an ancient Egyptian demon named Nasmaranian.[9](https://www.techradar.com/streaming/hbo-max/lee-cronins-the-mummy-is-the-biggest-horror-movie-coming-to-hbo-max-in-july-heres-when-you-can-stream-it) Unlike the adventure-driven entries in the franchise, the film portrays the mummy not as a traditional bandaged monster but as a dark, cursed ancient force working through a possessed child.[8](https://lsf.go.id/en/film/lee-cronins-mummy/1056)
## Production and the title
Cronin, an Irish filmmaker whose debut was *[The Hole in the Ground](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-hole-in-the-ground-film)* and whose *Evil Dead Rise* earned $147 million worldwide on a budget under $20 million, shot the film between Ireland and Spain on a budget in the mid-$20 million range.[3](https://au.variety.com/2026/film/features/lee-cronin-unique-the-mummy-jason-blum-name-in-title-horror-35610/) The production team included director of photography Dave Garbett, production designer Nick Bassett, editor Bryan Shaw, costume designer Joanna Eatwell, and composer Stephen McKeon.[1](https://www.blumhouse.com/film/lee-cronin-s-the-mummy)
**The possessive title** was an idea pitched by Jason Blum, who produces alongside James Wan of Atomic Monster and Cronin's longtime producer John Keville under the Wicked/Good banner. Cronin said he was flattered but unsure about the suggestion.[3](https://au.variety.com/2026/film/features/lee-cronin-unique-the-mummy-jason-blum-name-in-title-horror-35610/) The honorific also serves a legal purpose: because Universal owns the classic Mummy franchise dating back to the 1932 film, another studio making a mummy movie needed to mark it as its own thing.[2](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/lee-cronins-the-mummy-review/) The film is separate from Universal's franchise, which continues independently: a fourth Mummy film featuring the return of [Brendan Fraser](https://www.edgepedia.org/brendan-fraser) and [Rachel Weisz](https://www.edgepedia.org/rachel-weisz) is dated for October 15, 2027.[10](https://www.productionlist.com/production/the-mummy)
## Reception
The film opened in third place at the North American box office behind *The Super Mario Galaxy Movie* and *Project Hail Mary*, earning $13.5 million in 3,404 locations. With $20.5 million from international showings, it reached a $34 million worldwide total against a reported $22 million production cost. Audiences gave it a C+ CinemaScore, and it recorded 45% on Rotten Tomatoes.[6](https://apnews.com/article/965c2fb1e54a7789362077c1733ff8d3)
Critics were divided along consistent lines. The Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus credited the film with injecting gore and personal stakes into the classic setup while faulting a padded running time.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lee_cronins_the_mummy) Several reviewers noted its distance from mummy tradition: critics compared it to *The Exorcist* in its depiction of a child overtaken by something beyond comprehension, and one wrote that only an Egyptian tomb, bandages, and an ancient curse connect it to the older mythology.[11](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/lee-cronins-the-mummy-first-reviews/) The Associated Press review called it an overly long film that grafts the mummy onto a demon-possession story and ends in a gross-out bloodfest, awarding half a star out of four.[5](https://apnews.com/article/4aceb9888cae38fb7d93291b99b839a7) Positive notes came from early reactions that called it unrelenting, and from Metacritic's roundup, where one critic called it the scariest a mummy movie has been in years.[12](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/horror-movies/first-reactions-to-new-horror-movie-from-evil-dead-rise-director-the-mummy-call-it-unrelenting-and-a-freaky-as-f-creepshow/) • [13](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/lee-cronins-the-mummy/critic-reviews/) The film began streaming on [HBO Max](https://www.edgepedia.org/hbo-max) on May 19, 2026.[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lee_cronins_the_mummy)
## References
1. [Lee Cronin's The Mummy, Blumhouse official film page](https://www.blumhouse.com/film/lee-cronin-s-the-mummy)
2. ['Lee Cronin's The Mummy' Review: Scary as Hell, Except for the Mummy Parts, TheWrap](https://www.thewrap.com/creative-content/movies/lee-cronins-the-mummy-review/)
3. [Lee Cronin on His 'Unique' R-Rated Unraveling of 'The Mummy', Variety](https://au.variety.com/2026/film/features/lee-cronin-unique-the-mummy-jason-blum-name-in-title-horror-35610/)
4. [Lee Cronin's The Mummy, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/lee_cronins_the_mummy)
5. [Movie Review: 'Lee Cronin's The Mummy', Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/4aceb9888cae38fb7d93291b99b839a7)
6. ['Lee Cronin's The Mummy' is no match for 'Super Mario' or 'Hail Mary' at the box office, Associated Press](https://apnews.com/article/965c2fb1e54a7789362077c1733ff8d3)
7. [On Screen: Lee Cronin's The Mummy, Boxoffice Pro CinemaCon guide](https://www.boxofficepro.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/BxPro-CinemaCon-2026.pdf)
8. [Lee Cronin's The Mummy, Indonesian Film Censorship Board (LSF) film guide](https://lsf.go.id/en/film/lee-cronins-mummy/1056)
9. [Lee Cronin's The Mummy is the biggest horror movie coming to HBO Max in July, TechRadar](https://www.techradar.com/streaming/hbo-max/lee-cronins-the-mummy-is-the-biggest-horror-movie-coming-to-hbo-max-in-july-heres-when-you-can-stream-it)
10. [The Mummy, Production List](https://www.productionlist.com/production/the-mummy)
11. [Lee Cronin's The Mummy First Reviews, Rotten Tomatoes editorial](https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/lee-cronins-the-mummy-first-reviews/)
12. [First reactions to new horror movie from Evil Dead Rise director The Mummy, GamesRadar](https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/horror-movies/first-reactions-to-new-horror-movie-from-evil-dead-rise-director-the-mummy-call-it-unrelenting-and-a-freaky-as-f-creepshow/)
13. [Lee Cronin's The Mummy critic reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/lee-cronins-the-mummy/critic-reviews/)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Horror films (individual works) › Supernatural horror films › 2020s supernatural horror films › Titles symbols to L*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license