The Universal Mummy IP that dates back to 1932. That the Bendan Frasier films were also an attempt to cash in on, one that was successful.
And honestly we'd probably be looking at a different iteration of mummy films if the last Frasier one hadn't done poorly at the box-office.
*THIS*, so much this. I don't get this attitude nowadays where people ask of films to 'take themselves lightly', as if taking scenes that should be tense, dark or terrifying (as is usually the case with horror films) ought not to be either thing. Seriousness has its place in entertainment, we can all find enjoyment in tension, high stakes and *mood* and sometimes these require a film to play such scenes with a staight face.
I hear this **** about Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy (or, well, his films in general) all the time. I don't know, but even whilst being pretty dark and brooding films I had a blast with each, *in great part* thanks to their atmosphere.
To me its about the story being told. Being funny, being dark, being actiony, being thoughtful or ponderous...these are all aspect of tone and story telling. The producers have said they wanted an exciting film, but also one that was a monster film. So action-horror hybrid. I don't know how successful they are in that goal, but the trailers make it obvious that is their goal.
It doesn't have to be funny. But if it's serious, it should also try to establish characters and build some sense of suspense/horror in there. While I'm trying to not allow myself to biased before personally seeing it, what I am picking up from the surge of reviews is too much of a "This gets by on Tom Cruise doing Mission Impossible style action sequence after action sequence at a frantic pace" rather than story telling.
Which may be a fair assessment; at least its a condemnation of failing at what it tries to do (be a horror-action hybrid) than condemning it for not being something it never tried to be (a comedy/light adventure like the Frasier films).
When I see the Mummy (and I'll see it because I try to see all Mummy films - and I've seen a lot of good and terrible ones), I'll be the least likely to notice how "M:I" it is because I refuse to watch any films from that film series.