Luke Ford (no idea?) has been cast as Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz’s grown up son in the third installment of The Mummy franchise. Well actually that’s not entirely true, as Weisz has already annouced she won’t be returning for the flick and the studio is said to have already screen tested six actresses’ to replace her.
Ford, a 26 year old bit time Australian actor will be playing the guy around 22 years old, as his character has miraclously now aged 10 years since 2001 and the release of The Mummy Returns where he was played by Freddie Boath in his only ever film role.
Director Rob Cohen spoke of the decision to Variety…
“We may spin off into a complete father-son direction with Brendan (Fraser, who played the adventurer who battled the monster in the first two installments), but by getting an actor who is in his 20s and not a teenager, we can also put the future on his shoulders,”
“He tested against four much more established actors, and he was magic when he read with Brendan.”
The trade also gives us an official look at the plot of the film, which is starting to make a little more sense now…
In “The Mummy” sequel, Ford will play Alex O’Connell, the 20ish son of adventurer Rick O’Connell (Fraser), who journeys into the forbidden tombs of China and into the Himalayas, where they run into a new shape-shifting mummy, a former Chinese emperor who was cursed by a female wizard.
That shape-shifting mummy will of course be Jet Li. The female wizard has been confirmed to be played by Michelle Yeoh and the role of the former Chinese emperor is unknown at this time.
Shooting begins at the end of July in Montreal before moving to China.
My take….. more uninspired casting for this movie. Every single decision that has been made about this flick apart from the decision to bring back Fraser and the adding of Michelle Yeoh has been EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING. I will say it now… there is no chance in hell of this movie being any good.
2 Comments
I hate to say it but I think this one will suck ass too. Soon as I heard Rob Cohen’s name I just said, “This thing will be two hours of effects-laden crap!”
I love Stephen Sommers work, on Mummy and Van Helsing. I know people bash his stuff but he’s a damned good writer and an even better director. But Rob Cohen? NOTHING he’s done has been even remotely watchable. This is the fool who gave us Daylight, Fast & the Furious, Stealth, Torque. Why is he even allowed to make movies anymore?
When Weisz bowed out I immeidately thought it was time to put Rick jr in the lead. I figured they’s keep the third movie in Egypt, only this time fast forward another ten years and have Rick Jr take on Imhotep by himself with the Nazi’s being the ones to awaken the Mummy, ala Raiders of the Lost Ark. After all the Nazi’s were in Northern Africa in the early 1940’s, which is where the series takes place. It would have been PEREFCT!
But the Chinese mummy concept I thought to be inspired and intriguing too, when I first heard about it. That is until I found out who was going to be the mummy. Jet Li? Rob Choen’s a goddamned idiot for that move. I would have cast Ken Watanabe or, if he turned it down, Chow Yun Fat. THOSE two would be perfect.
Michelle Yeoh was a strong move too, though Li Gong would have been MY first choice.
Hopefully Sommers will be back if they make a fourth.
I think the mummy three is a good movie. A bit unbeliveable and complex. Would have been better if it was placed in egypt. But not with arnold vosloo as the mummy. I’d do1 about the dead evie, from when she was a princess. She could have tuned evil after her dad (the pharo) got murded. And alex (luke ford) wouldent have played psuch a big part. Well thats what i think.