The negative reaction to The Mummy as the kicking-off point for Universal’s Dark Universe movies is apparently causing a bit of a rethink about the future of the monster franchise at the studio. Part of that rethink? Getting Channing Tatum to play the next cinematic incarnation of fiction’s most famous monster hunter, Abraham Van Helsing.
Image: Channing Tatum as he appears in Kingsman: The Golden Circle. 20th Century Fox
Nestled in a larger story about the state of franchises after a disappointing winter 2017 box office, The Hollywood Reporter alleges that Universal believes part of what helped save The Mummy at international box offices was Tom Cruise in the leading role — inspiring them to go with big-name casting for future movies in the franchise. Not only does that include the already announced Johnny Depp for The Invisible Man and the previously rumoured Angelina Jolie for Bride of Frankenstein, it apparently includes the Van Helsing movie being “aimed” for Tatum.
THR further claims that the script for the standalone Van Helsing film is still being polished, with more time being spent to tighten up it, along with the scripts for the Dark Universe movies in the wake of The Mummy‘s critical failure and less-than-anticipated box office. Which is probably for the best.
We reached out to Universal for a comment on Tatum’s alleged involvement but had not heard back at time of writing.