Ever since its release in 1999, The Mummy has been one of the most beloved adventure movies, and much of that comes down to Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. Fraser's Rick O'Connell might have been the swashbuckling hero, but Weisz's Evelyn Carnahan (later O'Connell) was every bit as important. The pair's chemistry was a defining part of both the original film and 2001's The Mummy Returns.
That made one cast change particularly noticeable when The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor finally arrived in 2008. Fraser was back as Rick, but the Evelyn beside him suddenly looked very different, with Maria Bello taking over the role Weisz had played in the first two movies. It's not the first time a movie series has changed lead actors, and the franchise never explained why the change took place on-screen. There are several reasons why Weisz left in the first place, and now, nearly two decades later, the original Evelyn is returning.
The Mummy Returns left the door wide open for Fraser and Weisz to continue as Rick and Evelyn. By the end of the movie, the couple had survived another encounter with Imhotep, rescued their son Alex, and escaped from the collapsing Ahm Shere. However, the franchise then disappeared from theaters for seven years, aside from the Scorpion King spinoff, before returning with a considerably different third installment.
Tomb of the Dragon Emperor moved the action away from Egypt and introduced Jet Li's Dragon Emperor as its new supernatural antagonist. Stephen Sommers, writer and director of The Mummy and director of The Mummy Returns, also didn't return to helm the third film, with Rob Cohen (Dragon Heart, The Fast and the Furious) taking over. Fraser nevertheless reprised his role as Rick, and Maria Bello took over as Evelyn as the duo attempt to retrieve a gemstone known as the Eye of Shangri-La to return it to China. The Mummy's third installment made multiple huge changes, but Rachel Weisz's absence was the most notable.
There have been several explanations for Rachel Weisz's decision not to return, which has made the story slightly murkier over the years. One of the clearest explanations came from the actor and her representatives. At the time, Weisz had a young son, and Tomb of the Emperor would have required her to spend an extended period overseas. However, there were also reports that Weisz wasn't happy with The Mummy 3's screenplay, while Rob Cohen later offered another account of her departure: Weisz had reservations about playing the mother of a 21-year-old and believed her character should not have been aged up so dramatically. THR also published a report at the time stating that her exit was due to scheduling conflicts, per Universal Pictures.
The Mummy 3 features a subtle tongue-in-cheek nod to Bello's controversial casting when, at a reading for her latest novel, a fan asks her if her lead character is truly based on her. Evelyn replies, "I can honestly say she's a completely different person."
The production ultimately recast Weisz with Maria Bello, known for movies such as The Cooler and A History of Violence. Cohen said the filmmakers considered a number of actors and conducted screen tests with five of them, with Fraser participating opposite each potential Evelyn. Bello's chemistry with Fraser made her the clear choice, while her ability to bring something different to the character – her Evelyn was more action-oriented and less "bookish" – acted as a fresh start for the franchise. Bello's Evelyn was still married to Rick, was now an accomplished author, and joined him on another supernatural adventure after the couple were pulled out of retirement. Of course, replacing one half of a pairing was going to be noticeable.
The strangest thing about the Evelyn recasting is that it's now becoming something of an anomaly. Fraser and Weisz are officially reuniting as Rick and Evelyn for Universal's next Mummy movie, directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett. The so-far untitled The Mummy Returns sequel began principal photography in early September 2026 and is scheduled to arrive in theaters October 15, 2027, meaning Weisz will reprise Evelyn more than 25 years after she last played her in the 2001 film. Interestingly, Universal's upcoming film will reportedly ignore the events of Tomb of the Emperor. When asked if the third movie was canon, Bettinelli-Olpin said:
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