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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Jonathan Carnahan may be the most natural supporting character for the next Brendan Fraser–Rachel Weisz Mummy film to bring forward. John Hannah is reported to be returning as Evelyn’s brother, but the story has not been revealed. That leaves room for a compelling possibility—not a confirmed plot point: Jonathan could become more than the resourceful comic foil who survives by his wits.
Why Jonathan is the character to watch
The 1999 The Mummy follows an expedition in 1925 that accidentally unleashes the undead priest Imhotep. Fraser played adventurer Rick O’Connell; Weisz played librarian and Egyptologist Evelyn Carnahan. Jonathan, Evelyn’s brother, brings a different energy to their adventure: he is less driven by archaeological ambition or heroism than by self-preservation and a knack for finding his way through danger.
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That makes him a useful counterpoint to the leads. Rick and Evelyn can carry the grand romance and the supernatural stakes; Jonathan can show what an ordinary, opportunistic survivor does when the impossible becomes unavoidable. Giving him a meaningful decision or a personal stake would let the film use his comic instincts without making him only a source of jokes. This is a case for what the sequel could do, not a description of its unrevealed screenplay.
What the next film has confirmed about Jonathan
Universal announced a new Fraser-and-Weisz Mummy film in February 2026, with Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett directing and David Coggeshall writing. TheWrap reported at the time that plot details were under wraps and that the film was then scheduled for May 19, 2028 (TheWrap, February 10, 2026).
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#1 Best Overall
In March, ComicBook.com reported that John Hannah would return as Jonathan (ComicBook.com, March 28, 2026). An August update from the same outlet reported further returns: Oded Fehr as Ardeth Bay, Kevin J. O’Connor as Beni Gabor, and Arnold Vosloo as Imhotep. It listed October 15, 2027 as the release date (ComicBook.com, August 5, 2026).
Those release dates conflict, and the sources reviewed do not establish a current official schedule. The cast reports also do not explain how the returning characters fit into the story. Jonathan’s return is a reason to look for a larger role, not proof that he will get one.
Rank #2
How the film could make his return matter
Give him stakes beyond the next escape
Jonathan’s familiar survival skills could still supply comic relief, but they would land differently if he had something specific to protect or a difficult choice to make. A stronger role need not turn him into another action hero; it could make his self-interest collide with loyalty to Evelyn and her family.
Use the family relationship
Jonathan is not just another adventurer in the group. He is Evelyn’s brother, and the films also give him a place in the family around Rick and Alex. A new story could draw on those relationships to give his decisions emotional weight. Whether it will do so is not known.
Rank #3
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Let the supporting cast shape the adventure
With several familiar supporting characters reported to be returning, the film has the opportunity to make the wider ensemble consequential rather than treating it as a roll call of cameos. Jonathan’s distinctive role could be to spot an opening, bargain his way out of trouble, or make a risky choice that changes what the group can do. Those are possibilities for the character, not reported plot details.
What the continuity reports do—and do not—settle
The 2001 sequel reunited Fraser and Weisz. In the 2008 film, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, Maria Bello played Evelyn instead. The Independent reported that directors Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillett said the 2008 installment would not be canon to their forthcoming film. Asked about the continuity, Bettinelli-Olpin said, “Well, Rachel is in this one,” and Gillett added, “That should answer the question for you” (The Independent, March 5, 2026).
Rank #4
Their comments support the reported decision about the 2008 film’s place in continuity, but do not spell out how the new story treats every event or character from it. They also do not reveal Jonathan’s role. The clearest case for watching him is simpler: Hannah’s return has been reported, while the plot remains secret.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep the two 2026 Mummy films distinct
The Fraser-and-Weisz project is separate from Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, another film released in 2026. Warner Bros.’ official site describes that film as a different story with a different cast (Warner Bros.). The shared title does not make it part of the same announced return for Rick, Evelyn, and Jonathan.
Why Evelyn’s original characterization still matters
Jonathan’s place in the story is tied to Evelyn, whose ambition and independence helped define the original film. At a MegaCon 2026 spotlight panel, Fraser recalled Weisz’s chemistry-read interpretation this way: “No, actually, she really doesn’t want the treasure at all. She just wants to feel empowered. She just wants this guy to take her seriously.” He also said, “That was the thrust of her whole character. She’s going to do right by herself. She’s going to upset the boundaries” (Popverse, March 30, 2026).
Those are Fraser’s recollections of Weisz’s audition interpretation, not lines from the film’s screenplay. They offer a useful lens on the sibling dynamic: Evelyn pushes beyond the role others expect her to occupy, while Jonathan’s familiar instinct is to find the safest way through. A new installment could play that contrast for comedy, conflict, or both.
What to expect from the announcement—and what not to assume
- Reported: Fraser and Weisz are returning, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett are directing, David Coggeshall is writing, and John Hannah’s return as Jonathan has been reported.
- Also reported: Fehr, O’Connor, and Vosloo are returning, according to the August 2026 casting update.
- Not established: Jonathan’s screen time, his specific story arc, the mechanism behind returning characters, and a release date that resolves the conflicting reports.
For now, the case for Jonathan is a character argument, not a spoiler: the returning films have room to let Evelyn’s brother matter to the adventure as well as lighten it. Whether the filmmakers take that opportunity remains to be seen.
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