Anyone who loves the premise behind the 20th Century Fox’s Night at the Museum most likely knows about the upcoming animated sequel by the new franchise owners, Disney. Development may have stalled. The original news was revealed in 2020, during the pandemic, and reports back then suggested a 2021 release.
Hopefully plans have not been shelved. When considering other franchise properties recently released, namely Home Sweet Home Alone and Ice Age: Adventures of Buck Wild, hope is alive again, and it may show up later this year.
In the trilogy of live-action films, the Golden Tablet of Pharaoh Ahkmenrah is the raison d’être behind why many animals and statues came to life. Instead of dealing with a threat we’re all familiar with, the tentatively titled Kahmunrah Rises Again shifts the story to Nick Daley and how he’s going to continue in his father’s legacy of being a night custodian. Any other details are, pardoning the proverbial Ancient Egyptian pun, under wraps.
Larry Daley’s story of becoming a zero to a hero in the eyes of his kid, Nick, is good. But what new story can be offered? I hope Disney won’t turn this work into another The Mummy: Animated Series (available on Peacock) action-adventure romp. One detail that was revealed is that Joan of Arc will be the youth’s confidant.
What’s currently known is that the main antagonist from the second film is lost in the Duat. He was thrown through the gate to prevent his return to power. This realm is an unforgiving place, especially when he no doubt had to face the weighing of his heart, and as for how he returns, my hope is that the explanation won’t be as convuluted as Universal’s The Mummy (1999-2008) where Imhotep was dragged to the afterlife twice! The first time meant his soul but the second included his body.
Fond favourites, like the cowboy Jedediah, Roman Legionnaire Octavius, former President Teddy Roosevelt and Native American Sacagawea are expected to return. We won’t get to hear the original talents reprise their roles; this change isn’t the first for Disney. They had other vocal talents provide recreations in the latest Ice Age film.
Until there’s a formal release date, fans can enjoy the original trilogy on home video (Amazon USA) or streaming (Disney). The new producers need to be wise to pick up on the nuances from those films for this latest. Or for the eagle-eyed, there might be clues concerning how the mad king will return. Who knows, maybe one mad despot will have to fight Merenkahre and Shepseheret for ownership of the tablet, if he’s to truly ressurect.
Source(s): The Disinsider and Chip n Co, Oct 2020
