Tom Cruise 'in talks' for The Mummy reboot

As part of Universal's bid to launch a cinematic universe of classic monsters.

According to Variety, Tom Cruise is currently in talks to star in a reboot of Universal's The Mummy. 

Odd move, perhaps; yet it's only part of Universal's rampant bid to mimic the success of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Both Alex Kurtzman, who penned Mission Impossible III, and Chris Morgan, screenwriter on the Fast & Furious franchise, are heading a team tasked with developing a series of interlocking films centered around Universal's esteemed library of movie monsters.

Individual films have already been pitched for The Mummy, Dracula (who is likely to get a second reboot after the failure of last year's Dracula Untold), The Wolfman, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Bride of Frankenstein, and Van Helsing. These films will inevitably ramp up to an Avengers-style team-up movie and, if Cruise does indeed sign on for The Mummy, he'll be expected to make further appearances throughout this phase of films. 

Universal are also reportedly chasing after Angelina Jolie; The Hollywood Reporter stating Universal's backing of her latest directorial enterprise, By the Sea, was undertaken in the hope she'd be more open to signing onto The Bride of Frankenstein. Admittedly, watching Universal reach out to actors of such high profile doesn't instil too much confidence in their plans, as it could point to fears these movies won't attract audiences in their own right. 

Kurtzman is attached to direct The Mummy, also acting as producer alongside Morgan and Sean Daniel. The screenplay will be by Prometheus-scribe Jon Spaihts, who also worked on Marvel's upcoming Doctor Strange. Cruise reportedly won't produce, but will still likely have some control over the film's development. 

There's very little known about the film outside of the fact it's set in the present; with no news on how exactly it will differentiate from the 1999 version starring Brendan Frasier or, indeed, 1932's original The Mummy, as immortalised by Boris Karloff. 

Deadline has been informed both by Universal and Cruise's representatives that no deal is in the works; which doesn't yet disclaim rumours, but does suggest nothing concrete will be making an appearance anytime soon. 

Cruise is currently filming Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, with Mission Impossible 6 slated to shoot August of next year.