As Universal prepares to relaunch the Classic Monsters with the release of The Mummy, the studio has confirmed that this new cinematic universe is going by the title (I guess Warner Bros. will need a new name for its Justice League Dark film…).
In addition to the title reveal (and the brief teaser and Danny Elfman-composed theme below), it has also been confirmed that Johnny Depp and Javier Bardem are to play The Invisible Man and Frankenstein’s Monster respectively, joining the previously cast Tom Cruise as Nick Morton, Russell Crowe as Henry Jekyll and Sofia Boutella as The Mummy. Meanwhile, the second film out of the gate will be the Bill Condon-directed Bride of Frankenstein, which has been given a release date of February 14th, 2019.
Here’s the Dark Universe synopsis from the press release:
At its organizing principle, Dark Universe films are connected by a mysterious multi-national organization known as Prodigium. Led by the enigmatic and brilliant Dr. Henry Jekyll, Prodigium’s mission is to track, study and—when necessary—destroy evil embodied in the form of monsters in our world. Working outside the aegis of any government, and with practices concealed by millennia of secrecy, Prodigium protects the public from knowledge of the evil that exists just beyond the thin membrane of civilized society…and will go to any length to contain it.
“We take enormous pride in the creativity and passion that has inspired the reimagining of Universal’s iconic monsters and promise audiences we will expand this series strategically,” said Donna Langley, Chairman, Universal Pictures. “The enterprise masterfully developed by Chris Morgan and Alex Kurtzman will allow each subsequent chapter the right time to find the perfect cast, filmmakers and vision to fulfill it. As we launch Dark Universe with Danny Elfman’s provocative theme before The Mummy and collaborate with a brilliant filmmaker like Bill to weave the story of a very modern woman in a very classic tale, we feel confident we’re off to a tremendous start.”
“When Universal approached us with the idea of reimagining these classic characters, we recognized the responsibility of respecting their legacy while bringing them into new and modern adventures,” said Kurtzman and Morgan. “The studio and our fellow creative collaborators have championed and challenged us as we’ve begun to spin the web of Dark Universe. It’s our hope these movies will engross longtime fans and spark the imaginations of brand-new ones.”
“I’m very excited to bring a new Bride of Frankenstein to life on screen, particularly since James Whale’s original creation is still so potent,” stated Condon. “The Bride of Frankenstein remains the most iconic female monster in film history, and that’s a testament to Whale’s masterpiece—which endures as one of the greatest movies ever made.”
Originally published May 22, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
