Lee Cronin’s The Mummy (2026) Review: A Terrifying Scare

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy (2026) Review: A Terrifying Scare

What happens when a family trip turns into a horror

Lee Cronin's The Mummy (2026) is a supernatural horror film that follows ancient Egyptian mythology and a family whose missing child returns home carrying something evil.

The movie revolves around a family going for a trip. The horror starts when their young daughter disappears. Then, fast-forward eight years, when the family has lost hope she'll come back; however, she didn't come alone. A supernatural entity has entered her, spreading terror and horror in the family by killing and hurting people around her.

Cronin's take on the legend sits well beside our Frankenstein (2025) review, the classic The Exorcist (1973) review and the Resident Evil (2026) review. For the monster's screen history, see The Mummy on Wikipedia, and check audience and critic scores on Rotten Tomatoes.

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Cast & Crew

• Cast: Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, Natalie Grace, May Calama
• Genre: Supernatural horror, horror
• Release Date: April 17, 2026

Streaming Platforms: Apple TV, HBO Max

• Rating: IMDb: 6.1 / 10 | Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer: 45% | Audience Score: 71%

What’s the movie about?

The movie has a great start to the story by explaining the history of the Egyptian mummy of how it originated and what the witch wanted with Katie. The cult that has been shown from the start explains the reason to kidnap Katie. The story starts with a kidnapping. Katie goes missing in Egypt, leaving her family devastated. Eight years pass before she is discovered alive inside a 3,000-year-old sarcophagus, an ancient stone coffin. Her survival seems impossible, but for her parents, finding her means finally getting their daughter back. But Katie's situation changed severely.

She has been partially mummified; her body stopped responding, which shows that, in connection with the psychological and physical trauma she has been through, she has been through some deep ceremony that changed her behavior. The situation in the house made the parents concerned about whether they should be happy that they found their daughter or be worried about what possessed their daughter that had made her suffer miserably.

Who directed the movie?

Lee Cronin has created a unique presence in the horror genre through stories that combine supernatural mysteries, disturbing imagery, and deeply personal fears. Rather than treating horror simply as a series of frightening encounters, his films often place extraordinary threats inside familiar environments, including homes, families, and relationships that should ordinarily provide comfort.

The movie brings together elements that appeared in Cronin's earlier work:

• From The Hole in the Ground: It draws a mystery surrounding a child and the uncertainty of a family relationship.
• From Evil Dead Rise: It draws opportunities for physical horror, disturbing transformations, and supernatural danger within a family.

Adapted from both movies, Cronin uses the contrast between familiar relationships and frightening changes to establish emotional stakes. Instead of asking whether a child has been replaced, or showing a parent transformed by possession, the film explores what happens when a missing child returns and her family must confront the disturbing reality of her condition.

Lee Cronin's approach to supernatural horror

1. Disturbing Imagery and Physical Horror: The film allows horror to emerge through the physical and behavioral changes surrounding the returned daughter.
2. Emotional Vulnerability and Supernatural Danger: The return of a missing child offers relief, but subsequent terrifying events complicate that hope.
3. Pacing, Suspense, and Escalating Dread: Establishes the deep emotional consequences of the disappearance before the return's full horror lands.

Themes

• Grief, Loss, and the Pain of Separation: Explores how painful it is to live without knowing what happened to someone you love and the struggle to move forward.
• Family Love: Shows how far a family may go to protect one another and how fear can test even the strongest family bonds.
• Fear of the Unknown: Unanswered questions, strange events, and unexplained behavior create uncertainty, making it difficult to know whom to trust.
• Possession and the Loss of Free Will: Creates the terrifying atmosphere that a person may lose control over their own body, thoughts, or actions.
• Ancient Secrets and the Power of the Past: Links ancient traditions to present-day dangers, connecting the world of the living with frightening otherworldly forces.

What makes this movie different from other Mummy Movies?

What makes Lee Cronin's The Mummy different from other mummy movies is its focus on horror rather than adventure. Many traditional mummy films revolve around treasures, hidden tombs, curses, and adventures. This movie takes a more personal approach by focusing on a family dealing with the disappearance of their young daughter.

Another major difference is its use of defining horror. Rather than relying only on action scenes and supernatural creatures, the movie focuses on violent moments and unsettling situations. It explores the fear of losing control of one's body and the possibility that someone familiar may no longer be who they once were.

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Cinematography and visuals

The movie's cinematography creates a dark, frightening atmosphere that keeps the audience engaged. Shadows, low lighting, and dark surroundings make many scenes feel mysterious and uncomfortable. The scenes showing Katie’s physical changes—close-up shots of her teeth, skin, and unusual movements—make the body horror difficult to ignore.

When Katie returns after years of being missing, her pale, changed appearance creates a disturbing contrast with the family’s hope of seeing her again.

What I Liked

Instead of focusing only on an ancient monster, the movie connects its frightening events to a family dealing with the return of their missing daughter. This makes the story more emotional and gives the horror a personal side. The disturbing visuals, makeup, and body horror also help create uncomfortable moments that can stay with viewers after the film ends.

What I Didn't Like

The movie may feel too long and intense for some viewers. The repeated disturbing moments can sometimes become overwhelming, especially when the story relies heavily on graphic scenes rather than exploring quieter emotional beats more deeply.

Final Verdict

The disturbing visuals and graphic scenes make it a fun choice for viewers who enjoy intense horror. While the film could use stronger pacing and deeper emotional moments, it delivers a frightening experience for audiences who prefer horror with a different visual style.

Final rating: 3.5/5

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy (2026): FAQs

1. What is Lee Cronin’s The Mummy about? The film follows a family whose young daughter mysteriously disappears in Egypt. Eight years later, she returns, but her disturbing condition turns their reunion into a terrifying nightmare.

2. Who directed Lee Cronin’s The Mummy? The film was written and directed by Lee Cronin, known for directing Evil Dead Rise (2023).

3. When was Lee Cronin’s The Mummy released? The movie was released internationally beginning April 15, 2026, and in North American theaters on April 17, 2026.

4. Who stars in Lee Cronin’s The Mummy? The main cast includes Jack Reynor, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, Natalie Grace, and Verónica Falcón.

5. Is Lee Cronin’s The Mummy connected to the Brendan Fraser movies? No. It presents a new interpretation of the mummy legend rather than continuing the storyline of the earlier Brendan Fraser-led adventure films.

6. Is Lee Cronin’s The Mummy a horror movie? Yes. It is a supernatural horror film featuring disturbing imagery, intense violence, gore, and terrifying transformations.

7. How long is Lee Cronin’s The Mummy? The movie has a runtime of approximately 2 hours and 14 minutes.

8. Is Lee Cronin’s The Mummy suitable for children? No. The film carries an R rating in the United States because of strong violent content, gore, language, and brief drug use.

9. Who produced Lee Cronin’s The Mummy? The film was produced by James Wan, Jason Blum, and John Keville, with New Line Cinema, Atomic Monster, and Blumhouse involved in its production.

10. Is Lee Cronin’s The Mummy worth watching? It may appeal to viewers who enjoy graphic supernatural horror, disturbing imagery, and stories involving ancient curses.

11. Where can you watch Lee Cronin’s The Mummy? Availability depends on your country. The film has been listed for streaming on HBO Max and for digital rental or purchase through selected platforms.

12. What makes Lee Cronin’s The Mummy different from previous Mummy movies? Unlike earlier adventure-focused interpretations, this version emphasizes supernatural terror, disturbing family dynamics, and a frightening mystery surrounding a missing girl’s return.

Related reading

• Frankenstein (2025) review
• Resident Evil (2026) review
• The Exorcist (1973) review
• All horror reviews and guides