I appears Rachel Weisz will not be joining the rest of the cast for the third installment of The Mummy. We get the following scoop from The Hollywood Reporter:
The Oscar-winning actress has opted not to join her returning co-star Brendan Fraser in the China-set action-adventure, which will be helmed by Rob Cohen and will co-star Jet Li.
The studio cited scheduling conflicts for Weisz’s decision not to reprise her role.
I can’t say I blame her. I am not a fan of either of The Mummy films. I am pretty much a sucker for swords, archeology and dark magic in the picture shows – and I still couldn’t get into them. The special effects were also the most ridiculous shit I have ever seen in my life. This was probably a wise decision on her part; after you win an Oscar it may be wise to avoid sequels in a “meh” franchise.
I liked all three, but Rachel has such personality and raw sensuality, I found the third one sort of wanting, though I really did like Jet Li, the plot, the stunning immortal ladies, and may have just been let down that Mrs. O’Connell had a different face.
Having read the two possible reasons for the casting change (having a baby, or ‘won’t be the mother of a 21 y.o.’???) I have to wonder if the money people just couldn’t wait another month or two to have the full cast… *sigh*… I also missed the romance between Mr. Frazer and Ms. Weisz, which was what I’d enjoyed most in the first two. Writing in the somewhat boring routine that had replaced the adventure in their marriage just didn’t replace the spark between those two adequately, in my opinion. I did think the Yedi were a neat trick, though.
Saw this at a screening last weekend. Rachel Weisz did the right not doing the film, its pretty bad and Maria Bello is a horrible replacement.
I liked the Mummy, I’m still trying to work out what “The Mummy Returns” was all about and after stumbling across the new trailer this morning I’m kinda excited about this film.
Maria Bello, I think, will do well in the role of Evelyn. I wasn’t convinced by Weisz in the 2nd outing and thought she was kinda empty. Bello looks hot in the trailer…
Ok the Mummy Movies are not Oscar material, however the Mummy movies have been fun, in a sense so far. Maybe Rachel is being snobby or perhaps she is busy. Other than that, the movie does have Jet Li and although he has not worn an Oscar (to my knowledge) he does offer something new and exciting to look forward to. I say stop being movie snobs yourselves and give it a shot for an hour and a half of mindless entertainment.
“I suppose with an Oscar comes attitude”
Sorry but I read the script for Mummy 3 and its horrible, nothing original at all. Maybe JKF if you knew what you were talking about other than make dumb statements about Rachel’s attitude, you would have known that the script has been getting bad reviews left and right from the people who have read it.
I respect Rachel more for having enough sense to walk away from Mummy 3.
Commercial films are made to do one thing, entertain. Most movie patrons do not lie out hard coin to be educated, or informed nor do they appreciate the movie as an “art form”. The Mummy movies were great fun. I suppose with an Oscar comes attitude. The Constant Gardner grossed 33 million domestic and 48 million offshore. At a cost of 25 million, it did okay. She could have been a big help to the Mummy franchise, but I suspect the third installment will do better than Rachael’s next two films. Gee Miss Weisz, you’re cute but not irreplaceable.
Weisz knows shit when she sees it. This does not bode well for this project.
I happen to like all of the Mummy movies. Sue me but I even liked the prequel.. All movies dont have to be cinematic genius. They can be good fun and IMHO they were just that fun.
Smart lady. They’ll probably kill her charactr offscreen.
Yeah, not much of a surprise though it is a bit of a disappointment.
It seems that I am the only one who thinks that the mummy and even the mummy returns, though it was far far weaker than the first one, were great fun. its surely a great loss for the third installment that rachel weiz won’t appear any more, but I am excited how they will compensate this. the only thing I’m worried about is the director. I hope that the mummy 3 won’t be such a crap like stealth!!!!
Weisz has been good in other films, and while it did seem she had a blast on the previous Mummy films (her onscreen catfights with Patricia Velasquez, for example) the reason why he said no on this is because of schedule conflicts. It’s possible she might still have a cameo, though, or, more likely her part will be re-cast because the character is older (they are going for that stupid idea about the kid growing up to follow in Fraser’s shoes, right?) and because, maybe this time out additional funds can be put into the FX budget- and a story to support the reasons for FX heavy scenes.
BTW, I had no intrest in the film due to the lousy FX on the last picture, and because while the appeal of Jet Li may be okay, let’s face it: Arnold Vasloo was the man…er…Mummy.
Agree with CJ. Good on her for recognizing another movie that would do nothing for her career, except maybe remind me she was still alive. And for special effects, the little pygmy monkey mummies were pretty funny. Better if they were drunk, but funny nonetheless.
hahahahahha
My reason for seeing that movie is gone now.