The Mummy gets 15 certificate in the UK

If you were anticipating another blockbuster to take the whole family to in upcoming Tom Cruise movie ‘The Mummy,’ this news may come as a bit of a surprise.

Director Alex Kurtzman’s reboot of the Universal monster movie franchise, intended as the launchpad for the studio’s new ‘Dark Universe,’ has been given a 15 certificate by the British Board of Film Classification.

The BBFC cite ‘sustained threat, horror’ and ‘brief strong violence’ as the key reasons for their rating decision.

This may be a slightly unexpected development given ‘The Mummy’ had been pitched as one of the big films of the summer. This generally means a 12A rating, as had been the case for Universal’s earlier ‘Mummy’ trilogy with Brendan Fraser (although 1998’s ‘The Mummy’ and 2001’s ‘The Mummy Returns’ were both rated 12, having been released before the 12A was introduced).

In the US, this latest take on ‘The Mummy’ has been passed PG-13 – the MPAA’s equivalent of the 12A – for ‘violence, action and scary images, and for some suggestive content and partial nudity.’

Though rare, it is not unheard of for films to get different ratings on either side of the Atlantic, as the MPAA tends to be more lenient regarding violence. Last year’s ‘Suicide Squad,’ a PG-13 in the US, was rated 15 by the BBFC.

However, given the huge commercial success of ‘Suicide Squad,’ ‘Deadpool’ and ‘Logan,’ it seems that a restrictive rating is no longer regarded such a kiss of death for a major studio release.

Made on a reported $125 million budget, ‘The Mummy’ casts Cruise as soldier of fortune Nick Morton, whose world is turned upside down when he unwittingly excavates the tomb of cursed Egyptian princess Ahmanet (Sofia Boutella).

Russell Crowe co-stars as Dr Henry Jekyll, and it is anticipated that the actors will return in further films planned as part of Universal’s ‘Dark Universe.’ A new take on ‘The Bride of Frankenstein’ is on the cards from director Bill Condon, starring Javier Bardem as Frankenstein’s Monster. Johnny Depp is also signed on to play the lead in ‘The Invisible Man.’

‘The Mummy’ opens in UK cinemas on 9 June.

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