This may be the same strategy Cronin adopts for The Mummy, a darker, grimmer take on a classic tale emphasizing the psychological and emotional fallout from resurrecting past transgressions.

KURASHIKI, Okayama Prefecture—Researchers using high-tech equipment have reached a conclusion concerning a mysterious and creepy “mermaid mummy” long kept at a temple here: It is mostly fake.

The subsequent "The Mummy" trilogy, starring Brendan Fraser, became a worldwide favorite, with many eagerly awaiting the return of this version of the horror tale. All three Mummy films kick off ...