The Mummy Streams
Lee Cronin's The Mummy Shifts to HBO Max Globally July 3 After Underperforming Theatrically
Key Points
Bleeding Cool reports The Mummy had a budget of $29 million, contrasting with other sources that cite $22 million.
Bleeding Cool notes the film's theatrical release occurred mid-April, specifically April 17.
The film will debut on HBO Max with a TV premiere on Saturday, July 4 at 8 p.m. ET, following its July 3 global streaming release.
Producer lineup includes John Keville, with executive producers Michael Clear, Judson Scott, Macdara Kelleher, and Lee Cronin.
Supporting cast highlights include Natalie Grace, Shylo Molina, Billie Roy, Veronica Falcon, Hayat Kamille, May Elghety, and Emily Mitchell.
Lee Cronin's The Mummy will hit HBO Max on July 3, 2026, giving the horror film a second shot at finding fans. The movie earned roughly $90 million worldwide on a reported $22 million budget, according to Deadline, but a 45% Rotten Tomatoes score kept mainstream audiences away during its theatrical run.
The film will also air on HBO linear television on July 4 at 8 p.m. ET, making it a holiday weekend event. Produced by James Wan and Jason Blum — two of horror's biggest names — the movie is being positioned as a gore-heavy reimagining, not a sequel to any previous Mummy franchise, according to Bleeding Cool.
A Gore-Soaked Reimagining Far From Brendan Fraser
This is not the Brendan Fraser adventure series. It is also not connected to Tom Cruise's 2017 "Dark Universe" attempt. Cronin's version returns the story to its horror roots, centering on an ancient Egyptian demon called the "Nasmaranian." James Wan said the team wanted "to be very specific that this is not that movie. Ours is horror-centric," according to CBR.
The film stars Jack Reynor as Charlie Cannon, a journalist whose daughter vanishes and returns eight years later completely transformed. The R rating from the MPA cited "strong disturbing violent content, gore, language, and brief drug use." Genre outlet IGN gave it a 7/10, praising its "boldly repugnant" practical effects and "unhinged tonal swing."
Cronin's Personal Grief Shaped the Film's Darkest Scenes
Cronin finished Evil Dead Rise the same day his mother died. He has said that personal loss fed directly into The Mummy's most disturbing moments. One specific scene involving false teeth was reportedly inspired by a real phone call Cronin made while arranging his mother's wake. That kind of raw, personal horror is what separates this film from typical franchise revivals.
The world premiere was held April 9, 2026, at the American Legion Post 43 in Los Angeles. The wide U.S. release followed on April 17 via Warner Bros. Pictures. A PVOD window for digital rental and purchase opened May 19, according to Bleeding Cool, before the film now heads to streaming.
Mixed Reviews But Surprisingly Strong Box Office Hold
Critics were not kind. IndieWire gave it a C-, calling it "a dull and labored attempt at reviving one of the movies' oldest monsters." The CinemaScore landed at a weak C+. Still, the film's audience score on Rotten Tomatoes reached 72%, showing a real gap between critics and paying fans, according to CBR.
The film opened at #3 domestically with $13.5 million its first weekend. More impressive was its staying power. It dropped only 59% in week two, while other 2026 horror titles like Scream 7 saw drops above 70%, according to ScreenRant. On a $22 million budget, a $90 million global return is a 4x multiplier — a clear financial win for New Line and Blumhouse.
HBO Max Aims to Turn a Divisive Film Into a Cult Hit
Streaming is where divisive, gore-heavy horror films often find their real audience. Warner Bros. Discovery is pairing The Mummy with its existing horror catalog — including The Conjuring and IT — to boost its appeal on the platform. The July 4 holiday weekend timing is no accident. It is designed to capture viewers at home looking for something to watch.
A sequel has not been officially greenlit. However, Cronin has expressed interest in continuing the story. Separately, Universal is developing its own The Mummy 4 with the Radio Silence team, aiming to reunite the original 1999 cast, according to ScreenRant. The two projects exist in entirely different universes, leaving room for both to move forward.
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