After getting off to a rocky start with this year’s The Mummy, Universal Pictures has decided to postpone production on the next entry in its Dark Universe, announcing that filming on Bride of Frankenstein has been pushed back in order to focus on the screenplay. “After thoughtful consideration, Universal Pictures and director Bill Condon have […]
How Crucial is Universe Branding to Today’s Franchises?
George Chrysostomou on the importance of the universe branding… We cannot get away from the fact that today’s cinema (and to an extent TV) is dominated by the concept of the shared universe. It seems that almost every story, film and character has to be linked in order to create a further expansive world, which […]
The Cinematic Universe Fascination: A Bigger Picture Obsession
Tom Jolliffe on Hollywood’s fascination with the shared cinematic universe… Marketing, labelling, packaging. It’s everywhere. In cinematic terms it’s more important than ever. Everything is governed by men with clipboards. Or the modern equivalent. I suppose it’s all tablets now. I’m a cave dwelling Cro-Magnon man, so I wouldn’t know but there’s an inherent need […]
Universal will reportedly lose around $95 million on The Mummy
Yesterday we brought you some comments from Alex Kurtzman, director of The Mummy, who responded to the critical backlash against the Dark Universe-launching reboot, where he towed standard the “we made it for the fans, not the critics” line. Well, it seems that the fans haven’t responded to the movie as well as Universal would […]
In Defence of Conventional Storytelling
Henry Bevan defends conventional storytelling… One of the most annoying and backhanded critical compliments is “it’s great but conventional.” So many films met with critical acclaim are often simultaneously bashed for presenting their stories in a popular way. It is lazy and naive thinking to dismiss something as conventional without engaging with why it is. […]
Director John Landis says Universal’s Dark Universe isn’t “respectful of the monsters”
Director John Landis (An American Werewolf in London, National Lampoon’s Animal House) is at it again. Last week he criticized the current state of the Marvel Cinematic Universe while praising the DCEU’s first critical hit Wonder Woman, and this week he is dropping some harsh words on Universal’s Dark Universe that launched last Friday with […]
Second Opinion – The Mummy (2017)
The Mummy, 2017. Directed by Alex Kurtzman Starring Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella, Annabelle Wallis, Jake Johnson, Courtney B. Vance, Marwan Kenzari, and Russell Crowe. SYNOPSIS: An ancient princess is awakened from her crypt beneath the desert, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia, and terrors that defy human comprehension. To say that The Mummy is […]
Universal’s Dark Universe could already be dead
When Universal’s attempts to re-launch their monster movie franchise unravelled with serious Mummy issues this summer, grossing just $409 million off a $125 million budget, that wonderfully staged photograph of Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe, Javier Bardem, Johnny Depp, and Sofia Boutella appeared to be a serious case of running before you could even shuffle. Now […]
Universal’s Dark Universe to include Dracula, Phantom of the Opera and The Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Universal Monsters make their return to the big screen today as the studio launches its shared Dark Universe with the release of The Mummy. As we already know, Universal plans to follow The Mummy with the likes of Bride of Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Wolf Man and Creature from the Black Lagoon, and […]
Warner Bros. could sue Universal over the Dark Universe name
Warner Bros. are considering the option of suing their rival studio Universal over their Dark Universe. Universal’s new Dark Universe is set to bring together a connected world of classic movie monsters, including the upcoming film The Mummy starring Tom Cruise, which will also feature an appearance by Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Universal are […]
