Johnny Depp, Javier Bardem join Universal's monster franchise
"The Mummy" is apparently just the beginning for Universal Pictures' "Dark Universe," a new planned franchise that brings together many of the studio's classic monster icons.
Johnny Depp and Javier Bardem have joined a franchise that already includes "The Mummy" stars Tom Cruise, Russell Crowe and Sofia Boutella, the studio announced Monday.
Depp will play the Invisible Man, while Bardem will play Frankenstein's Monster, with Crowe playing Dr. Jekyll, Boutella as the Mummy and Cruise as soldier of fortune Nick Morton.
The "Dark Universe" films will be connected via the Prodigium, a shadowy organization led by Dr. Jekyll that studies, tracks and does battle with monsters.
The next film due in the franchise is "The Bride of Frankenstein," directed by Bill Condon, who won an Oscar for writing his 1999 film "Gods and Monsters," about the personal life of "Frankenstein" and "Bride of Frankenstein" director James Whale. Condon's version will be released Feb. 14, 2019.
No titles or release dates have been announced for films featuring Depp's character.
Welcome to a new world of gods and monsters. #DarkUniverse https://t.co/yMPyGVMcvH pic.twitter.com/Yg1KAxg4WX
— #DarkUniverse (@darkuniverse) May 22, 2017
"The Mummy" hits theaters June 9.