Director Alex Kurtzman, known for his work on Tom Cruise's "The Mummy," recently opened up about the film in an interview on Playlist's Bingeworthy podcast.
Released in 2017, the movie was not only considered one of the biggest flops in recent years but also reportedly resulted in a substantial financial loss of up to $95 million for Universal Studios. The film's failure also led to the abandonment of plans for a franchise titled "Dark Universe," centered around classic movie monsters. Kurtzman, who directed the film, shared his perspective on the experience.
In the interview, Kurtzman candidly referred to "The Mummy" as "probably the biggest flop of my life." Despite the commercial and critical setbacks, he emphasized the value of the production as a significant learning experience. According to Kurtzman, he believes that one learns more from failures than successes. He stated, "There are a million things I regret, but it also gave me so many gifts that are inexpressibly beautiful."
Kurtzman continued by highlighting how the challenges faced during the making of "The Mummy" contributed to his growth as a director. Acknowledging that he didn't become a director until making that movie, he explained, "It wasn't because it was well directed, but because it wasn't. I wouldn't have understood a lot of the things I now understand about what it means to be a director if I hadn't gone through that experience."
"The Mummy" featured Tom Cruise as a US Army sergeant inadvertently unleashing an ancient Egyptian princess named Ahmanet, played by Sofia Boutella. Reports circulated that Cruise had considerable influence over the film, with claims of him dictating even the smallest decisions on set. Kurtzman, who had not directed a film on such a large scale before, reportedly struggled with the project's scope, leading to Cruise taking a more active role.
Despite the challenges faced during the production of "The Mummy," Kurtzman hasn't shied away from the director's chair. He recently returned to helm the new Showtime series "The Man Who Fell to Earth," a sequel to the 1976 film that he co-created with Jenny Lumet. Kurtzman expressed gratitude for the difficult experience with "The Mummy," stating that it made him a tougher and clearer filmmaker. He emphasized the importance of being vocal about concerns on set and the impact this has had on his approach to filmmaking.
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