As Universal makes headlines about launching its monster universe with The Mummy, it's easy to forget it technically already started a few years ago. Remember Dracula Untold? The 2014 film underwent a few reshoots in an effort to better fit in with Universal's burgeoning plans for a shared universe, but when the film failed to garner much critical success (despite a decent, but not great, box office haul), Universal quietly ignored those associations and positioned The Mummy as the first film in the Dark Universe.
To that end, when The Wolfman remake came out in 2010, there were some indications that Universal would use it as a launchpad for more monster remakes—then nothing. Before that, 2004's abysmal Van Helsing, starring Hugh Jackman in the starring role, looked to potentially start a new monster-verse with a decent box office haul. But when critics shredded it, Universal abandoned any plans for a sequel. At this point can we even trust that Universal will follow through with its latest plans? If history is any indication, the studio is quick to pull the plug at the scent of failure — and The Mummy might have more than a whiff.
