With the absence of Rachel Weisz from The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, producers had no choice but to recast the role of Evelyn O’Connell. The movie itself was the commercially least successful one of the franchise and also received a very low Rotten Tomatoes rating of 13%. As such, one cannot fault Weisz’s reticence to once again dive into her old role.
The original cast members in movies often turn into fan favorites. Therefore, entering a franchise to replace another actress who has already left her mark is never easy. Maria Bello ended up taking over the reins from Weisz and admittedly attempted to fill some big shoes. So one wonders what might have been had the role not been recast.
Why Rachel Weisz Didn’t Return For The Mummy 3
The director of The Mummy 3, Rob Cohen, claimed that Weisz hated the script and therefore did not return. He also revealed that she did not like the idea of playing a significantly older character to make the age gap between Evelyn and her son more believable. Weisz never confirmed nor denied that this was the reason.
Another possible explanation was that she was taking care of her son and did not want to spend months away in China. Although during the same time, she was working on other projects. Whatever the reason for her turning down the role, one can understand why she took the high road by not criticizing the script publicly. The character of Evelyn Carnahan in The Mummy (1999) was after all her breakthrough role and she probably did not want to shed a bad light on the franchise.
How The Mummy 3 Would Have Been Different If Weisz Returned
If Weisz had returned for The Mummy 3, producers would have definitely needed to adapt the script. In The Mummy Returns, Evie evolves from a damsel in distress into a strong character who can fend for herself. She also demonstrates her ability to juggle academic ambition, family, and adventure time. In the third installment of the franchise, however, Rick and Evie desperately try to stay retired. Their daily life is now made up of non-fulfilling activities. Yet, it appears rather uncharacteristic for Evie to abandon her research of ancient mysteries in favor of writing sensational novels. Even Bello admitted in an interview that the character had significantly changed. In conclusion, the character would definitely have needed to be adapted to fit its previously successful iteration.
The influence an original cast has on the fans is also not to be underestimated. The nostalgia factor is a strong selling point for any sequel released a number of years after its first success. Therefore The Mummy 3 could have certainly benefited from Weisz’s return to revive the Evelyn O’Connell of old.
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