Disney clearly hopes they have the next The Mummy. The marketing promises Jungle Cruise will be a daring adventure along the Amazon river, making comparisons to Disney’s other nautical blockbusters inevitable. However, there’s plenty to indicate that The Mummy director Stephen Sommers deserves some credit.
Jungle Cruise is the latest adaptation of a Disneyland attraction. Its early 20th-century setting and vintage explorer vibe draws multiple similarities to the 1920s-set The Mummy, Sommers’ 1999 reimagining of the Universal monster classic. Similarly, the ride was inspired by the golden age romance The African Queen, and now the Disney movie will revamp the attraction into a blockbuster adventure.
Indiana Jones-style action made it an instant hit with audiences, but it was met with mixed reviews upon release. Still, the film's continued popularity helps illustrate its influence on modern blockbusters, especially those made by Disney. From the Jungle Cruise trailers’ story to the characters to their goofy tone, it’s difficult not to view the Dwayne Johnson adventure as Disney’s attempt to remake The Mummy by replacing Egyptian curses with the dangers of the Amazon.
Jungle Cruise will reportedly see British Dr. Lily Houghton (Emily Blunt) work alongside rugged American captain Frank Wolff (Johnson) to discover the mysterious Tree of Life that “cannot be found”, except Lily possesses a key to unlock its secrets. Straight away this draws similarities to The Mummy, in which librarian and Jungle Cruise will bear a stronger resemblance to The Mummy than Pirates of the Caribbean.
The trailers boast the goofy, self-aware humor that characterizes many modern blockbusters, but was arguably most prominent in The Mummy. Sommers' genre mashup predates Pirates of the Caribbean, and its influence is still felt 22 years on, with Marvel attempting a similar tone with characters like Star-Lord, Iron Man, and Thor. Frank’s boldness and skepticism over Lily’s mission indicate the movie will replicate Rick and Evelyn's rapport. It seems likely Jungle Cruise will follow a similar trajectory of Frank becoming a better person and Lily transforming into an action hero who can save the day. One sequence teased in the trailer showcases Lily balancing on a ladder in a stunt akin to Evelyn’s library mishap in The Mummy. Sommers’ movie had a tongue-in-cheek style that knew never to take itself too seriously, while still including touching moments and creating a series of memorable mummy movies.
One element where Disney’s film could improve upon The Mummy is its depiction of native characters, with the latter’s portrayal of Egyptians one of the movie’s few weak spots. Time will tell how much Disney actually copies Sommers’ movie, but it’s no wonder why they would look to the horror-comedy to inspire their rousing adventure. By returning to an exciting era without modern technology and incorporating many practical effects, Jungle Cruise promises a welcome relief from superhero and science-fiction movies.
