Rachel Weisz Says No To MUMMY 3

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AndyDursin · #1 Post by **AndyDursin** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 6:33 pm

But Brendan Fraser is on board, as is Jet Li -- still sounds like fun, and I have faith in Gough and Millar, who continue to do a fine job with SMALLVILLE. Obviously, I assume they will bring in a new female lead...

Will also be intriguing to see who scores it. Any chance Randy Edelman will rekindle his collaboration with Rob Cohen?

Fraser returns for 'Mummy 3'
Weisz leaving lucrative franchise
By DIANE GARRETT, MICHAEL FLEMING

Brendan Fraser has closed a rich deal to return in "The Mummy 3," but Rachel Weisz is not coming back.

Rob Cohen will direct the pic, which is expected to begin production late in the summer. It will be set in China and will introduce Jet Li as a villain.

Universal is planning a summer 2008 release; franchise has earned more than $830 million worldwide. "The Mummy" bowed in 1999 and "The Mummy Returns" in 2001.

Weisz has won an Oscar and had a baby since the last installment, has dropped out of talks to reprise her role. She has several other projects in the offing, including "The Brothers Bloom" and Phillip Noyce's Outback drama "Dirt Music," set to begin shooting in August.

Script is by "Smallville" creators Miles Millar and Alfred Gough, who will do another pass that will factor in the absence of Weisz. Universal is holding up a greenlight pending a final rewrite, but a late summer start date is still expected.

Fraser, who previously toplined "George of the Jungle," has proven a reliable franchise performer. Word has it he's made a top-of-the-food-chain money deal for "The Mummy 3," the first film in the series that won't be directed by Stephen Sommers.

Sean Daniel, Jim Jacks, Sommers and his shingle partner Bob Ducsay are producing.

Fraser is also starring in two New Line-distributed films with tentpole aspirations: "Journey 3D," an adaptation of Jules Verne's "Journey to the Center of the Earth" that Walden Media and New Line are producing, and "Inkheart," the Iain Softley-directed adaptation of the Cornelia Funke fantasy novel. New Line is eyeing 2008 releases for both pics, which could lead to a trio of event-sized Fraser films.

Fraser's repped by WMA.

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111796 ... id=13&cs=1

Eric W. · #2 Post by **Eric W.** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 7:22 pm

Edelman's been off the radar for years, it seems. I haven't really missed him. *shrugs*

I have mild hopes for this film. Sorry Weisz won't be back.

AndyDursin · #3 Post by **AndyDursin** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 7:37 pm

At this point I have nearly as much faith in a third MUMMY film as I do in a fourth Indiana Jones movie...yeah I can't believe I'm saying that, but Paul MacLean and I were talking the other night about how the two MUMMY movies have essentially functioned as the Indy movies of the late '90s, and it's been years since Spielberg has delivered a truly upbeat, escapist genre film effectively.

I will miss Weisz too but assuming they do a good job of casting a female lead I think they'll be fine.

As far as the music goes Edelman has a stronger sense of melody than any of the "new guys" like Ottman/Beltrami/etc. and I'd like to see him do a rip-roaring orchestral score again like GETTYSBURG. Maybe this will be his comeback? Certainly Silvestri is a fine choice but who knows what the dealio will be there.

Cohen won't be able to go to THE BT or whatever he's been using for his last few movies this time, at least!

Carlson2005 · #4 Post by **Carlson2005** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 10:25 pm

It's bizarre that Weisz turned this down - after saying the last one would be her last all through production, she was the one who spent more time than anyone lobbying for a third. I suspect her decision may have had something to do with the cheque on offer...

Personally I think this is a much safer bet than Indy 4: even though Brendan Fraser hasn't exactly set the box-office alight, it doesn't have the same stink of desperation that Ford's involvement in Indy 4 gives off.

Monterey Jack · #5 Post by **Monterey Jack** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 10:58 pm

The first Mummy was lame (Goldsmith's score aside), and the second was HORRENDOUS, so I applaud Weisz for getting while the getting's good. She has an Oscar now, so it's time to avoid the check-cashing schlock. Anyways, who even remembers these films? Yeah, they made boatloads of cash, but the last one was six years ago.

The same thing with Rush Hour 3.

Paul MacLean · #6 Post by **Paul MacLean** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 11:03 pm

Randy Edelman has an indisputable gift for melody and harmony.

He was really churning 'em out for big releases in the 90s -- Gettysburg, The Mask, Dragonheart, Daylight, and of course filling-in the gaps on Last of the Mohicans. I wonder why he fell-off the radar.

My only misgivings about his work was the way would overlay everything with a thick synthesizer like so much marshmallow fluff. His dramatic sense wasn't always subtle -- every scene in Dragonheart was scored like it was the climax of the film.

But he's Bernard Herrmann compared Ottman and Zimmer!

AndyDursin · #7 Post by **AndyDursin** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 11:13 pm

Paul MacLean wrote:Randy Edelman has an indisputable gift for melody and harmony.

He was really churning 'em out for big releases in the 90s -- Gettysburg, The Mask, Dragonheart, Daylight, and of course filling-in the gaps on Last of the Mohicans. I wonder why he fell-off the radar.

My only misgivings about his work was the way would overlay everything with a thick synthesizer like so much marshmallow fluff. His dramatic sense wasn't always subtle -- every scene in Dragonheart was scored like it was the climax of the film.

But he's Bernard Herrmann compared Ottman and Zimmer!

If the synths could be dialed down I have no doubt he could deliver a really big, terrific score.

I'm guessing they will probably go with Silvestri and pay him a small fortune since he scored both of Somers' last two movies (MUMMY II and VAN HELSING) and they'll likely look to keep some continuity there.

DavidM · #8 Post by **DavidM** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 3:59 pm

Randy Edelman is like Bernard Herrmann!!

Edelman writes good tunes but his stuff has always struck me as overblown and juvenile with the picture. It works well on albums and trailers but it's supposed to be film music!

AndyDursin · #9 Post by **AndyDursin** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 4:38 pm

DavidM wrote:Randy Edelman is like Bernard Herrmann!!

Edelman writes good tunes but his stuff has always struck me as overblown and juvenile with the picture. It works well on albums and trailers but it's supposed to be film music!

Paul was saying he's like Herrmann COMPARED TO THE COMPOSERS WORKING TODAY. I would have to agree with him.

I agree there are times his scores are overblown, but at least they are in a good way...as in he composes themes you can remember and which support the picture. I'd take that any day over the likes of Ottman, Beltrami, etc.

Given the state of film music, what might've appeared juvenile 10 years ago is masterful by today's standards.

DavidM · #10 Post by **DavidM** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 12:41 am

>>Given the state of film music, what might've appeared juvenile 10 years ago is masterful by today's standards.<<

Not to me it isn't! A score that was juvenile and inappropriate ten years ago doesn't seem anymore masterful to me today just because John Ottman sucks.

AndyDursin · #11 Post by **AndyDursin** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 1:19 am

DavidM wrote:>>Given the state of film music, what might've appeared juvenile 10 years ago is masterful by today's standards.<<

Not to me it isn't! A score that was juvenile and inappropriate ten years ago doesn't seem anymore masterful to me today just because John Ottman sucks.

LOL, that he does, and we can agree on that.

romanD · #12 Post by **romanD** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 11:11 am

well, Edelman sure know show to write a big theme, but his action music is always lousy. Given the high energy both MUMMIES had so far he seems the wrong choice... his scores sound cheap and as I said the action stuff is ridiculous. Only cool and fast action of his is xxx, but to be honest, there must be a reason why nothing of the actionmusic is on the score album and when you listen closely in the movie it sounds so much like MV, that Im sure Trevor Morris and or BT came in and rescored all the major action scenes and that's why he didnt work on STEALTH.

I can see BT actually doing M3, because they will maybe try to catch the teens and a rocknroll score is what Cohen thinks may work well in that aspect. BT doing a big action-arabian-choir score could be fun... or just Silvestri comes back, he still scores movies Sommers only produces and he seemed to have fun on MR back then, so why not?
Edelman would ruin it! Seriously! Just watch the showdown of DRAGONHEART.. how you could let this go without any music at all is beyond me...

AndyDursin · #13 Post by **AndyDursin** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 11:49 am

I can see BT actually doing M3, because they will maybe try to catch the teens and a rocknroll score is what Cohen thinks may work well in that aspect. BT doing a big action-arabian-choir score could be fun... or just Silvestri comes back, he still scores movies Sommers only produces and he seemed to have fun on MR back then, so why not?

I'd rather have James D. Pasquale or J. Peter Robinson come in. I haven't been impressed with BT's work, and it sure seems like the wrong kind of project for him.