James Oconner 
Anil Krishna 
Jonathan Millar 
© Universal Pictures
Brendan Fraser is officially back as Rick O’Connell, although it looks like the Mummy hero has found himself a very different kind of adventure this time around. New set photos from The Mummy 4 show Fraser behind the wheel of a futuristic, jet-powered racing vehicle that looks like it drove straight out of an old 1950s sci-fi comic. Ancient tombs are apparently taking a back seat for now.
Earlier production photos had already given fans a look at Rachel Weisz returning as Evelyn O’Connell, and these latest images give us another clue about the direction of the fourth movie. Rick and Evelyn seem to be stepping into a much more technological world, while the film is still holding on to that old-school adventure style that made the original movies so much fun.
A Very Different Ride for Rick O’Connell
The set photos, published by Page Six, show Fraser getting out of a shiny silver “rocket car” alongside members of the O’Connell Racing Team. He’s wearing a shearling-lined aviator jacket and a helmet, so visually, Rick still looks like Rick. The difference is that instead of standing in front of an ancient temple or running from a mummy, he’s standing next to what looks like a machine built for the future.
And the car itself is hard to miss. Its sleek silver design has a very deliberate post-war, 1950s feel, almost like somebody took one of those wild futuristic concepts from the era and actually decided to build it. The side air intakes are especially interesting because they suggest the vehicle uses jet propulsion rather than conventional rockets. It’s a small detail, but one that fits nicely with the movie’s apparent fascination with the technology of the period.
Rick isn’t the only O’Connell getting some new toys, either. Earlier behind-the-scenes images showed Evelyn using advanced communication equipment that looks far more sophisticated than anything you’d expect from the era. Then again, Evelyn has never exactly been the damsel-in-distress type. From her first appearance in the original Mummy to that memorable camel ride toward Hamunaptra, she has always been just as willing to jump into the adventure as Rick.
What Does The Mummy 4 Have Planned?
These first glimpses suggest that The Mummy 4 could be taking the franchise somewhere quite different without completely abandoning what made the earlier films work. Instead of simply repeating the ancient-Egypt formula, the new movie appears to be putting Rick and Evelyn in a world that’s rapidly changing, where pulp-style adventure meets the strange optimism and technological obsession of the atomic age.
That could get particularly interesting if the rumors about Imhotep’s return turn out to be true. There’s something fun about putting an ancient supernatural threat up against futuristic mid-century technology. One side is basically thousands of years old, the other looks like it belongs in a retro-futurist fever dream. If the movie can balance that contrast with the humor, romance and action the franchise is known for, there could be a lot to play with.
For now, these are still just early looks at the movie, so there’s plenty we don’t know. But seeing Rick O’Connell behind the wheel of a jet-powered race car is certainly one way to announce that The Mummy is coming back.
The Mummy 4 is scheduled to hit theaters on October 15, 2027.
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