Tom Cruise's The Mummy reboot is definitely happening, and you've only got a year to prepare yourself

Following confirmation on Tom Cruise's involvement, the film has now been set for a 9 June 2017 release date.

Tom Cruise starred as Jack Reacher in two feature films

Universal's The Mummy reboot is moving forward; Tom Cruise has officially signed on, and a release date has now been set to 9 June 2017. 

Variety reports the film has now settled on a date, having previously been pitched for release on 24 March 2017. It's a move that may be connected to the recent rejig of release dates prompted by Star Wars: Episode VIII's move to a Christmas release date; is this a sign of increasing confidence in Universal's attempt to create a cinematic universe of movie monsters?

Indeed, The Mummy will be the first of a slated series of rebooted monster flicks. Alongside Dracula, The Wolfman, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Bride of Frankenstein (for which Angelina Jolie has been rumoured), and Van Helsing; an Avengers-style team-up movie has also been planned, for which Cruise will likely be contracted to appear in. 

Both Alex Kurtzman, who penned Mission Impossible III, and Chris Morgan, screenwriter on the Fast & Furious franchise, are heading a team tasked with overseeing the mega-franchise. Kurtzman will direct The Mummy, with a screenplay by Prometheus-scribe Jon Spaihts, who also worked on Marvel's upcoming Doctor Strange. 

The news was accompanied with official confirmation of Cruise's involvement, alongside Kingsman: Secret Service's Sofia Boutella, who's set to play a female reincarnation of the classic monster.

It's odd to see Cruise hitch his horse to a franchise like this; his career's been so carefully considered, it's such a rare thing to actually see the actor make a definitively wrong step. So maybe The Mummy will turn out great. Maybe all this fear is completely misjudged and we should all be entirely excited to see Tom Cruise drive a motorcycle up the side of a pyramid. Which will presumably be a thing that happens.