Alex Kurtzman Says The Mummy Reboot Is Not Connected To Dracula Untold

Alex Kurtzman has spent most of his time in Hollywood co-writing big-budget feature films, like The Amazing Spider-Man 2, Cowboys & Aliens and Star Trek Into Darkness, but now he is in charge -- along with Chris Morgan (Fast & Furious franchise) -- of Universal's Monsterverse.

He'll help get the shared universe, filled with classic movie monsters, off the ground when he directs the 2017 reboot of The Mummy. He's only directed one feature film so far, 2012's People Like Us, but he doesn't feel intimidated by his lack of experience. "I feel really ready to go and Universal's been incredible about supporting our whole monster endeavor, so I feel like I'm going to have amazing people around me in order to help us launch it," Kurtzman told Slash Film.

Since The Mummy will exist in a shared universe, Kurtzman says "we very well might" see another monster appear in it. However, when asked if 2014's Dracula Untold, starring Luke Evans in the title role, would be connected to The Mummy -- as it has been rumored to be -- he responded, "The Mummy isn't connected to Dracula [Untold] but I think that is an ongoing conversation."

What will separate his Mummy film from others is that it will take place in modern times, however, moviegoers can still expect a monster wrapped in multiple layers of linen cloth. "Look, I don't think you can make a mummy movie without having a character wrapped in bandages," he admitted. "I feel like that'd be doing a big disservice to the mummy. It wouldn't be a mummy otherwise." He believes the modern setting should open up a whole new world of possibilities. "Absolutely, 100%. The minute it's modern day, the rules change," he stated. "And yet, what's really exciting for me is how do you take this ancient creature and make an audience believe that they exist in modern day?"

The Mummy reboot is scheduled for release on March 24, 2017.