What's Inside?
- Once dismissed as a cinematic flop, The Mummy now ranks among HBO Max’s Top 10 films just before Halloween.
- Critics once called it “a mess of bones and bandages,” yet streaming audiences are giving it a surprising second life.
- Tom Cruise’s enduring appeal and Halloween nostalgia have resurrected The Mummy, turning failure into an unexpected streaming hit.
When The Mummy was released in 2017, it was supposed to resurrect Universal’s monster legacy with a sprawling “Dark Universe.” Instead, it buried the idea almost instantly. Critics slammed it, audiences shrugged, and Universal’s grand cinematic dream turned to dust. Yet eight years later, in an unexpected twist worthy of a mummy’s curse, the Tom Cruise-led adventure has clawed its way back to relevance—this time on HBO Max, where it’s now among the platform’s most-watched films.
The Mummy’s Failed Legacy Gets a Haunting Second Chance
When The Mummy first hit theaters, Universal had high hopes. The studio envisioned an interconnected series of monster films featuring icons like the Invisible Man and the Bride of Frankenstein, with Tom Cruise’s action-heavy reboot leading the charge. But rather than a thrilling resurrection, audiences got a bloated, confused spectacle that tried too hard to be both Mission: Impossible and Indiana Jones.
Director Alex Kurtzman’s focus on building a cinematic universe over crafting a compelling story proved fatal. Critics called the film “a mess of bones, bandages, and bald commercial cynicism,” while another described it as “less a movie than a corporate committee project.” The result? A dismal 15% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and a disappointing $410 million box office return on a massive budget that left Universal nursing tens of millions in losses.
For fans, the real tragedy was that The Mummy stripped away the eerie charm that made Universal’s classic monsters iconic. Instead of gothic tension, viewers got CGI chaos and an overstuffed script that prioritized spectacle over soul. Compared to Brendan Fraser’s beloved 1999 version, Cruise’s iteration felt hollow and mechanical—proof that sometimes, bigger isn’t better.
But time has a funny way of reshaping pop culture. Nearly a decade after its flop, The Mummy is finding an unlikely audience on HBO Max. Added to the streamer’s library on October 1, 2025, the film quickly rose to number 10 in the U.S., according to FlixPatrol. The reason? Timing and nostalgia. With Halloween approaching, viewers are craving monster-themed content, and Cruise’s enduring star power continues to draw curious eyes.
Why Audiences Are Rediscovering The Mummy
For many, watching The Mummy in 2025 feels different than it did in 2017. Without the heavy weight of franchise expectations, the movie is being viewed as a standalone popcorn flick—a visually impressive, occasionally thrilling adventure that’s more fun than its reputation suggests.
Tom Cruise plays U.S. Army sergeant Nick Morton, whose tomb-raiding escapade awakens an ancient Egyptian princess, Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella), who turns him into a vessel for the god of death. It’s pulpy, outlandish, and full of high-octane moments that might not have worked for critics but land better in the comfort of one’s couch during spooky season.
Streaming has a way of giving films a second chance, especially those that failed under the harsh glare of theatrical expectations. As audiences revisit older titles, the context shifts. Viewers who once dismissed The Mummy are now approaching it with curiosity—or simply looking for a Halloween watch that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
There’s also the undeniable allure of Tom Cruise. Even when the material falters, his intensity and charisma keep viewers hooked. And in the age of streaming, where attention spans are short and choices are endless, familiarity often wins.
Ultimately, The Mummy’s rise on HBO Max isn’t about vindication—it’s about rediscovery. The film may never shed its reputation as the movie that killed the Dark Universe, but it has earned a small victory in the afterlife of streaming. Sometimes, even cinematic corpses deserve one more look before being laid to rest.
