Apparently, flesh-eating scarabs are not enough to keep Beni Gabor down. Kevin J. O’Connor and Oded Fehr have joined Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz in Universal Pictures’ new Mummy movie, bringing two more veterans of the 1999 hit back into the undead fray. Young Sherlock actor Numan Acar has also joined the growing ensemble.
O’Connor memorably played Beni, Rick O’Connell’s cowardly former French Foreign Legion comrade who switched sides, served Imhotep and eventually found himself trapped with a hungry swarm of scarabs. Fehr played Ardeth Bay, the Medjai leader sworn to stop Imhotep’s resurrection, and reprised the role in 2001’s The Mummy Returns.
Deadline broke the casting news, reporting that O’Connor, Fehr and Acar have now locked in deals for the film. Fehr confirmed his return on Instagram, declaring: “Ardeth Bay will return in the Mummy 2027.” Entertainment Weekly has since confirmed that O’Connor will again play Beni, leaving the rather pressing question of how he escaped what appeared to be quite the unpleasant death.
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Acar joins the franchise in an undisclosed role. The Turkish-German actor is known for playing Haissam Haqqani in Homeland and has more recently appeared in Prime Video’s Young Sherlock. Obsession breakout Michael Johnston is another newcomer attached to the cast.
Did Beni Cheat Death?
Death has always been negotiable in The Mummy, although Beni’s demise appeared more conclusive than most. He was last seen alone beneath the ruins of Hamunaptra, his torch extinguished as the scarabs closed in. Then there’s that unwritten movie rule: unless you see the body, the door is never completely closed.
How the film plans to explain Beni’s survival remains under wraps. Resurrection, flashback, supernatural loophole or a reveal that those scarabs were less thorough than they looked could all provide a way back for one of the original film’s most entertainingly slippery characters.
Fehr’s comeback is far more straightforward. Ardeth survived both of his previous adventures and became a trusted ally to Rick, Evelyn and Jonathan, frequently arriving with a warning that nobody listened to until several ancient corpses were already walking around.
The Original Crew Is Reassembling
Fraser and Weisz will return as adventurer Rick O’Connell and Egyptologist Evelyn O’Connell, reuniting in the franchise for the first time since The Mummy Returns. Weisz sat out 2008’s The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, with Maria Bello taking over as Evelyn.
John Hannah is also returning as Evelyn’s opportunistic brother, Jonathan Carnahan. Together with Fehr and O’Connor, his involvement gives the new film a sizeable contingent from the beloved 1999 original.
Fraser sounded more than ready when The Associated Press asked him about a fourth film in November 2025.
“The one I wanted to make was never made,” he said. “I’ve been waiting 20 years for this call. Sometimes it was loud, sometimes it was a faint telegraph. Now? It’s time to give the fans what they want.”
Radio Silence Takes on The Mummy
Ready or Not and Scream helmers Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are directing the new film from a screenplay by David Coggeshall, whose credits include The Family Plan and Orphan: First Kill.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Gillett described Coggeshall’s script as “just really, really beautiful and scary and sweeping, and it’s awesome.”
Bettinelli-Olpin pointed to the returning leads’ decision to sign on: “I don’t think Brendan and Rachel are getting involved unless they love that script, and what they read, I think they really liked. It’s gonna be fun to make.”
Plot details remain firmly under wraps, including how Beni will be brought back and what new threat will reunite Rick, Evelyn and their old allies.
Franchise veteran Sean Daniel is producing alongside Project X Entertainment’s William Sherak, James Vanderbilt and Paul Neinstein, as well as Clayton Townsend. Fraser and Hivemind’s Jason F. Brown serve as executive producers.
The new Mummy movie is scheduled to hit U.S. cinemas on October 15, 2027.
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