The original mummy in the 1932 film, Boris Karloff, was a British actor.įor this retelling, princess Ahmanet is played by Sofia Boutella, an Algerian-French actress, and her father King Menhepetre is played by Selva Rasalingam, a British actor of partly Tamil descent (of South India and Sri Lanka). Historians have rolled their eyes at the ethnically inaccurate casting of ancient Egyptians since the beginning of filmmaking, including such decisions as Yul Brynner as Ramesses II, Sigorney Weaver as Queen Tuya, and Gerard Butler as the god Seth. Unfortunately, we only get to see the ancient Egyptians in brief flashbacks: princess Ahmanet with her father the king, and a couple quick glimpses into the royal palace. All too often, films like this one become the only interaction the general public has with ancient Egypt, something even more true since the Egyptian Revolution in 2011, when international tourism to Egypt has been at an all time low. Tom Cruise stars in the latest reboot playing the charming boy-scoundrel Nick Morton who, while stationed in Iraq, seizes the opportunity to hunt for antiquities.įor this review, the Nile Scribes do what Egyptologists do best: talk about ancient Egypt.

The Mummy, released last month (June, 2017) in the USA and Canada, is the latest in the long-established franchise that started in 1932.

Egyptian language in the mummy movie