The Mummy Reboot Producers Deny Tom Cruise in Talks for Lead

Having a single hit movie isn't enough for film studios these days--it's important to find an ongoing franchise that can guarantee regular profits. Without any superhero properties to its name, Universal has gone back to one of its oldest films series to kickstart their own film universe-its classic monster movies. It had been reported that Tom Cruise is in talks to star in one of the key reboots, but now this story has been denied.

The Hollywood Reporter have stated that Cruise is the studio's first choice to headline The Mummy, which would be the first movie in an ongoing monster series. Unlike the Mummy movies from the late-'90s that starred Brendan Fraser, this latest version would be set in the present day. The film is expected to begin filming in the first half of next year, for a March 2017 release.

However, according to Deadline, both Universal and Cruise's representatives have issued denials that a deal is being worked on.

Alex Kurtzman, co-writer of JJ Abrams' recent Star Trek movies, is set to direct the film. Kurtzman was was hired by Universal last year to develop this new franchise. Other key monsters that are expected to be brought back from Universal's classic movies include The Wolfman, The Invisible Man, Van Helsing, and Dracula, and Frankenstein.