Rachel Weisz Returns: First Photos From The Mummy 4

They've finally surfaced: on-set photos showing Rachel Weisz in period costume, radio in hand, stepping back into the world that made her a household name. No trailers yet. No official clips. Just a handful of behind-the-scenes stills that feel like a time capsule — and a promise.

This is Rachel Weisz's first time back as Evie Carnahan since The Mummy Returns (2001). For fans who grew up on brash adventurers and dusty tombs, the sight is equal parts nostalgia and curiosity. What will change? What will stay the same?

The Mummy saga began in 1999, introducing Brendan Fraser's Rick O'Connell and Weisz's bookish Evie. The follow-up in 2001 brought Imhotep fully to life and introduced Dwayne Johnson as the Scorpion King — a spin-off star in his own right. Later entries, including The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008), tried to stretch the franchise into new continents and tones. They had moments. They missed others. But Evie's absence from the third film left a clear gap on the map of the series.

Now that gap is closing. Filming for The Mummy 4 is underway in the UK, and those new frames suggest the filmmakers are leaning into the franchise's roots — practical costumes, period detail, and the chemistry that made the original pair memorable. So far, on-set images show Weisz in character, but few other performers appear in the leaked footage. That doesn't mean they're not there. It means the drama is being revealed in increments, like clues in an archaeological dig.

Brendan Fraser's name hangs in the air among fans. He's expected to return as Rick O'Connell, and both he and directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett have hinted that this installment will honor past entries while offering something fresh. Writer David Coggeshall is on script duties, with Sean Daniel back as producer and Project X Entertainment's William Sherak, James Vanderbilt, and Paul Neinstein also attached. Radio Silence, known for blending genre savvy with surprising tonal shifts, steers the helm.

There are creative choices already being clarified: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor will not be treated as canonical within this new continuity. In other words, the filmmakers are selectively curating the franchise's history — keeping the best parts and rewriting where necessary. It's a familiar tactic in long-running properties, but when done well it can feel less like retconning and more like reopening a sealed vault.

Fans remember the franchise for its mixture of swashbuckling adventure and pulpy horror. They remember the chemistry between Fraser and Weisz, the comic beats, and the set-piece scale. Those memories raise expectations. Brendan Fraser has publicly said he waited two decades for this call. High hopes? Absolutely. Skepticism? Understandable. But there is a hunger for a film that finally gives the original duo a modern, satisfying chapter.

With a cast that includes John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr, Kevin J. O'Connor, Michael Johnston, and Nouman Acar, The Mummy 4 looks poised to blend familiar faces with new energy. The release date is set for May 19, 2028. Until then, every costume snapshot and whispered rumor becomes its own little excavation — part wish, part roadmap, pointing toward what could be one of the most talked-about genre comebacks of the decade.