Actor John Hannah has revealed that he turned down the opportunity to star in "The Mummy" franchise twice before ultimately accepting the role of Jonathan Carnahan. Hannah, who is preparing to appear in the fourth installment of the film series alongside Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, shared his initial reluctance in a recent interview.
He admitted that he was more focused on pursuing serious theatrical roles at the time and considered the offer for "The Mummy" dismissively. "I turned it down twice, which was ironic given that I’m now going to be in the fourth one and it’s only Brendan and me that are in all four," Hannah stated. He recalled wanting to pursue a "dark European indie film that nobody’s ever heard of."
It was his agent who persuaded him to take the role. "So, I was lucky in that one that my agent said, ‘John, don’t be stupid. Do that’," he said. Hannah, 64, also reflected on the role, suggesting that "sometimes it’s just the universe helping you out."
The original "The Mummy" film, released in 1999, was a remake of the 1932 movie starring Boris Karloff. The 1999 version followed treasure hunter Rick O’Connell, played by Fraser, as he embarked on an adventure with librarian Evelyn Carnahan (Weisz) and her brother Jonathan (Hannah) to the ancient city of Hamunaptra. The film was a significant box office success, grossing $418 million worldwide against an $80 million budget.
Hannah and Fraser have been part of all the subsequent films in the modern franchise, including "The Mummy Returns" (2001) and "The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor" (2008). Hannah recently experienced the franchise's enduring popularity firsthand when he attended a fan convention for the first time.
Recalling another significant role, Hannah mentioned that he had a similarly dismissive initial reaction to starring in "Four Weddings and a Funeral." He initially thought the film was "rubbish" but accepted the part because he "needed the job" and quickly learned from the experience.