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The estimate ofa shared universefeaturing Universal ’s classic horror icons is genius . After all , Universal was technically the first one to make a cinematic macrocosm back in the Golden Age of Horror . It resulted in crossover films likeFrankenstein receive The Wolf Man .
So when Universal announced the Dark Universe , people were emotional . However , afterThe Mummyreboot from 2017 , the Dark Universe seems to be at an indefinite stoppage . Not only was it critically trash but it was a very miserable box - office film . So what went incorrectly so quickly and what can be done to repair the damages ?
Fail: Constant Changing Of Plans
Originally , it was mean thatDracula Untoldwas going to be the first picture of the Dark Universe . When that film did not perform as well , Universal quickly ousted it from the plan and restarted .
So then it was up toThe Mummyto be theIron Manof the Dark Universe . It performed even worse so Universal discontinue . Dracula Untoldshould have never been erase . Universal kept scrambling which resulted in a rushed universe .
Fix: Plan Ahead
While Kevin Feige had to make some challenge as he went , theMarvel Cinematic Universestill had a plan . It followed that plan , took its clip , and it lead in over ten years of greatness with multiple crossing .
If Universal just takes the clock time to plan out the Dark Universe , it can still work out . Even if a movie terminate up not being a fan - favorite , there ’s no need to constantly change plan .
Fail: Is Dracula Untold Canon Or Not?
Dracula Untoldwas an inauspicious box office flop but over the yr , it has mature a cult take after . It created one of thebest motion picture incarnations of Dracula , mixing superhero - esque action with the dark gothic elements that make universal famous . It also place up more to come .
So it make out off as a smacking to the face when Universal just abandoned that story . Dracula ’s abilities would have been arrant for any future crossover that Dark Universe had in mind . Unfortunately , Dracula Untoldkept being removed and reinstall into canon to the percentage point of just confusing multitude .
Fix: Bring Back Luke Evans
So how should Universal fix this ? By return to Luke Evans ' Dracula with a subsequence down the line . Bring back Charles Dance ’s character fromDracula Untoldto finish off whatever tale they were setting up .
perchance total some easter eggs and a post - credit stinger to set up a crossover or another teras . However , do not go overboard with the Dark Universe linkup - atomic number 49 . Speaking of …
Fail: Too Much Universe Building At Once
The single biggest trouble thatThe Mummy ( 2017)had was that it pushed a cinematic macrocosm too hard . In one flick , it essay to introduce two mummies with Tom Cruise and Sofia Boutella but it contribute Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde along with a SHIELD - esque system .
The Jekyll and Hyde fibre should have been a mystery character until the end . The little connection to the Brendan Fraser film was a decent soupcon but everything else felt overblown . Dracula Untoldwas ego - incorporate and focused on being a reboot of Dracula and then had a last - second gear teaser for a subsequence : a right means of doing things .
Fix: Connect To The Wolfman (2010)
Another furore cinema by Universal was the reboot ofThe Wolfmanfrom 2010 star Benicio Del Toro . No other reboot ofUniversal ’s monstersfelt as well - rounded asThe Wolfmanwas . It stay fresh many factor that made the original Graeco-Roman work while updating enough to differentiate it .
It was dark , fucking , and matched the gothic atmosphere that should come from Universal . So if Dark Universe could find a mode to organically connect to the case of that movie ? It would allow for many more possibility .
Fail: Too Soon For The Mummy
Many can agree , The Mummyshould have been saved for down the melody . Granted , it was break that the 2017 movie and the Brendan Fraser movie exist in the same population . This was one of the only comme il faut thing to add up out of that picture show .
However , the Brendan Fraser movies are beloved classics ( disregard the third movie ) that were still somewhat fresh in people ’s mind . So this immediately precede to brand against the Tom Cruise movie from the commencement . The Mummyshould have been one of the last monster to get enter after buff enjoy other monsters .
Fix: Don’t Retcon Anything
If Dark Universe ever decides to pick thing back up and continue with more movies : do not retcon anything . Comparing things to Marvel again , not every moving picture is beloved and some even resulted in repercussion includingCaptain MarvelandIron Man 3 .
Kevin Feige did not opt to wipe off those movies from the timeline . Instead , Feige just worked with directors to repair the consequence of those film . Universal needs to do the same : bring back Tom Cruise ’s lineament if possible and do thing well in a follow - up .
Fail: Not Enough Dark Elements
It is understandable to add more natural action since Dark Universe was seemingly build up to anAvengers - elan crossover with the monsters . However , the Universal monsters are horror - based at the end of the day .
Dracula Untoldkept these things well - balanced to create a dark epos . WhereasThe Mummytried too hard to bea light - hearted natural process filmwith a bunch of drollery to seemingly copy the style of some Marvel films . This does not work forThe Mummy . The blue element of the motion picture was the titulary villain but she was overshadow .
Fix: Focus On Other Monsters
Even before Dark Universe , eccentric like Dracula and Frankenstein were overused . It was a estimable choice that Dark Universe had planned to skip theFrankensteinstory and skip toBride Of Frankensteinstarring Angelina Jolie and Javier Bardem .
Focus on that , bring in theCreature From The Black Lagoonwho has never had a reboot , usher in a Dark Universe version ofThe Invisible Man . Add post - credit teasers for Luke Evans ' Dracula and other monsters and things would menstruate much better .
NEXT : Universal Monsters : 5 Monsters Who Deserve A Modern Reboot ( & 5 Who Do n’t )
