Russell Crowe to play the Dr. Jekyll of Universal’s Monster Avengers thing

By William Hughes  |  May 4, 2016 | 9:46pm
Aux Features Film

The Universal Monsters Cinematic Universe—which is apparently what we’re just giving up and all agreeing to call the studio’s attempts to build a Marvel-esque network of franchises out of its classic monster movie properties—has just added another high-profile actor to its roster. Deadline is reporting that Russell Crowe will join stars like Tom Cruise and Johnny Depp for this latest horror revival, and also for what we’re guessing will be a lot of weird, awkward, grumpy press conferences in advance of every film.

Crowe will be making his UMCU—or maybe UMCBoo, like a ghost?—debut in the upcoming The Mummy, which is expected to star Cruise as a U.S. soldier who accidentally awakens an ancient Egyptian spirit. Crowe will apparently be playing “a Jekyll-like role” in the film, which Universal seems to be using to set up and provide cameos for members of their wider Spookiverse. (Think that scene in Batman V. Superman: Dawn Of Justice, where we find out that Lex Luthor spends his spare time designing logos to go with surveillance footage of, like, half the members of the Justice League.)

The Mummy—which will also star Sofia Boutella, Courtney B. Vance, and Jake Johnson—is expected to land in theaters on June 9, 2017. That doesn’t give Universal much time to find (or genetically engineer) an even grouchier and more aggressive actor to play the Hyde to Crowe’s Jekyll in the upcoming film.

 
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