Brendan Fraser is well-known for his role in The Mummy series, and many Millennials remember him as “Link” in Encino Man (1992). However, his role in The Whale earned him the Best Actor Oscar in 2023. This film, which also won the Academy Award for Best Makeup and Hairstyling, is now streaming on Netflix as of November 1.
In The Whale, Brendan Fraser looks very different as he plays Charlie, a gay English professor who is extremely overweight. Charlie’s health worsens, and he tries reconnecting with his daughter, Ellie, played by Sadie Sink from Stranger Things. To spend time with her, Charlie offers her money. The movie is based on a play by Samuel D. Hunter and shows Charlie’s efforts to fix his broken relationship with Ellie.
The Whale has mixed reviews from critics, with a 64% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences gave it a much higher 91% “Verified Hot” score. Samuel D. Hunter wrote the movie, and Darren Aronofsky directed it. Distributed by A24, the film made $17.3 million in the U.S. and $57.6 million worldwide, which is impressive considering its $3 million budget.
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When The Whale came out, some people found it controversial. They thought Brendan Fraser’s use of a fat suit was offensive, and there were also questions about whether a straight actor should play a gay character.
Brendan Fraser’s next role will differ greatly from his character in The Whale. He’ll play General Dwight D. Eisenhower in a World War II movie called Pressure. This thriller, listed as in production on IMDb, is based on the true story of the 72 hours before D-Day. The movie will also feature Andrew Scott (Ripley), Damian Lewis (Billions), Kerry Condon (Better Call Saul), Chris Messina (Sharp Objects), and Toby Williams (Breeders). The release date for Pressure hasn’t been announced yet.
Pressure is based on a play by David Haig, who also helped write the movie with its director, Anthony Maras. Maras is known for directing the 2018 film Hotel Mumbai, which starred Dev Patel.
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Stephen Sommers, who directed The Mummy (1999) and The Mummy Returns (2001), said he hasn’t heard anything about a new Mummy movie. He did not direct The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008); that film was directed by Rob Cohen.
In 2024, Sommers told The Hollywood Reporter,
I don’t know of any new projects. All the people at Universal are new since I left, so I don’t know them, and they haven’t contacted me. I can’t guess what they are thinking. If there were to be a new movie, it would have to be something really special. I would definitely work with all those actors again.
In a past interview with Deadline, Fraser expressed his interest in making a new Mummy movie. He said,
I don’t have any exciting details about it, but it’s been an open question for a while. I’m not against it. I don’t know any actor who doesn’t want a job. I don’t think I’ve ever been this famous without a salary at the same time, so I’d be interested.
The Whale is now available to stream on Netflix, and you can also watch Fraser in the new Prime Video movie Brothers, where he stars alongside Peter Dinklage and Josh Brolin.
Source: Netflix