Shared universes are the way of the present. Between DC, Marvel, and the MonsterVerse, movies set in much larger universes have become a large portion of our film diet. While this has done well to introduce long form world-building to the big screen in an unprecedented manner, it doesn’t come without its pitfalls. As seen in movies like Iron Man 2 and Avengers: Age of Ultron, it’s possible to have a film that focuses to much on laying the foundation, and not enough on just being a good movie.

With a new shared Universal Monsters universe on the way, it’s difficult not to look at the first film on their slate, The Mummy, with a skeptical eye. Will this movie be a great movie in and of itself, or will it end up focusing far too much on laying the foundations for future monster films? In the past, the filmmakers have vehemently assured audiences that the movie would mostly be concerned with being a standalone product. These statements were undercut by the fact that Russell Crowe would, in fact, be playing one Doctor Jekyll, of Mr. Hyde fame. Like how Iron Man 2 introduced Avenger Black Widow, this seemed like a move to introduce Jekyll and the massive underbelly of the Monster world from whence he comes.

Now, the newly-released featurette from Syfy Wire seems to confirm that there will at least be some focus on Doctor Jekyll, his transformations, and the monsters he seems to deal with through Prodigium, the fictional organization for whom Jekyll works. Will the introduction of this S.H.I.E.L.D.-like organization undercut the integrity of The Mummy as a standalone film? That remains to be seen. But no matter what the filmmakers claim, there is no mistaking that they are laying the groundwork of for things to come.

RELATED – Universal Monsters: Studio Focused On Making Good Standalone Films, First & Foremost

Below is the official synopsis for The Mummy:

“Thought safely entombed in a crypt deep beneath the unforgiving desert, an ancient queen (Sofia Boutella of Kingsman: The Secret Service and Star Trek Beyond) whose destiny was unjustly taken from her, is awakened in our current day, bringing with her malevolence grown over millennia and terrors that defy human comprehension. From the sweeping sands of the Middle East through hidden labyrinths under modern-day London, The Mummy brings a surprising intensity and balance of wonder and thrills in an imaginative new take that ushers in a new world of gods and monsters.”

What do you think of this new featurette? Does it have you concerned that the filmmakers’ priorities are in the wrong place? Let us know in the comments down below!

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SOURCE: Syfy Wire