Photo Credit: Universe Pictures

Universal Pictures announced today that its series of films reviving the studio’s classic monster characters for a new generation will be known as “Dark Universe”, with the upcoming ‘The Mummy’ as the inaugural film in the monster series, followed by ‘Bride of Frankenstein’, to be directed by ‘Disney's Beauty and the Beast’ director Bill Condon.

Bride of Frankenstein will be released in February 2019.  

In the shared universe, The Invisible Man and Frankenstein’s Monster will be played by, blockbuster icon Johnny Depp and Academy Award® winner Javier Bardem, who appear together later this summer in Pirates of the Caribbean: Salazar's Revenge. Those actors join superstar Tom Cruise as a soldier of fortune Nick Morton and Oscar® winner Russell Crowe as Dr Henry Jekyll, who lead the all-star cast of The Mummy, along with Sofia Boutella, the actress who embodies the title role in that film.  

(Watch 'The Mummy' trailer here!)
 

Photo Credit: Universal Pictures

In a related move, Universal announced that it will not release a Dark Universe film as previously planned for April 13, 2018, and that Bride will instead be the next chapter in the unspooling series of movies following this year’s The Mummy.  The actress chosen to play the lead role in Condon’s version of this timeless story will be announced soon.

“I’m very excited to bring a new Bride of Frankenstein to life on screen, particularly since James Whale’s original creation is still so potent,” stated Condon.  “The Bride of Frankenstein remains the most iconic female monster in film history, and that’s a testament to Whale’s masterpiece—which endures as one of the greatest movies ever made.” 

The motion logo for the new initiative features a musical theme composed by Academy Award Nominee Danny Elfman and will debut in theatres preceding The Mummy, which will be released on June 8.