The twists and turns are already coming for Universal’s planned reboot of the Mummy franchise. We’ve already got Prometheus** co-writer Jon Spaihts hired to write a version of the script, but now, according to Vulture, the studio has Shattered Glass/Hunger Games scribe Billy Ray also working away on a parallel modern-day version of the story to consider alongside Spaihts' screenplay.
Assuming this turns out to be true and not entombed in a rumour casket, the latest word comes on top of Len Wiseman directing and Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci producing alongside Sean Daniel.
The plan, apparently, is to ensure there is a workable draft ready to go for a shoot later this year so the film could plug into a summer 2014 release slot. You’d have to feel for Spaihts, who saw Prometheus re-written by Damon Lindelof and now potentially facing someone else writing the Mummy gig instead of him. But still, while the competing scripts idea isn’t often used, everyone knows big film screenplays usually go through several writers.
Ray, who has written films such as Flightplan, **State Of Play **and the first Hunger Games outing, also has form as a director with Shattered Glass and Breach. He’s been working as a writer and script doctor more often these days, most recently crafting Captain Phillips for Paul Greengrass and Tom Hanks.