The Van Helsing That Never Was: Inside Universal’s Abandoned Dark Universe (Ep. 77)

Jim Hill and Eric Hersey trace the ambitious — and ultimately ill-fated — vision for Universal’s Dark Universe, from the scrapped sequel to The Mummy to Tom Cruise’s push to reinvent himself as the studio’s modern Van Helsing. NEWS Universal courts talent and headlines by hiring Mark Platt and director Lorene Scafaria for a Sabrina Carpenter–led Alice in Wonderland musical. Comcast explores a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, with Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs advising. Competing interest from Netflix and Apple raises the stakes ahead of WBD’s planned corporate split. Peacock sets a new premiere date for The Epic Ride documentary, now featuring rare dragon-drone testing footage from Epic Universe. A closer look at how the industry shake-ups could affect theme park rights, licensing, and future Universal IP development. FEATURE The original plan for a direct sequel to 2017’s The Mummy — and how the story would have expanded Dr. Jekyll’s organization and the gods-and-monsters mythology. Why Tom Cruise’s version of Nick Morton was conceived as the entry point to a larger shared universe… and how internal plans positioned him as the modern Van Helsing, monster hunter and connective tissue between films. How Cruise’s hands-on creative control — the same instinct that later led Top Gun: Maverick to a $1.4B box office — clashed with Universal’s rollout of the Dark Universe brand. A breakdown of what actually killed the Dark Universe: mismatched expectations, a premature cinematic universe announcement, and a marketing campaign Cruise felt undermined the film he delivered. Why Epic Universe’s Dark Universe land succeeds where the films didn’t — channeling classic-monster storytelling without the burden of a forced franchise blueprint. HOSTS Jim Hill — X/Twitter: @JimHillMedia | Instagram: @JimHillMedia | Website: jimhillmedia.comEric Hersey — X/Twitter: @erichersey | Instagram: @erichersey | Website: erichersey.com PATREON Love the show? Support more insider stories, deep dives, and history of themed entertainment at:https://www.patreon.com/jimhillmedia/ FOLLOW US Facebook: @JimHillMediaNews YouTube: @jimhillmedia TikTok: @jimhillmedia PRODUCTION Edited by Dave Grey Produced by Eric Hersey — Strong Minded Agency SPONSOR Unlocked Magic — Save up to 12% on Universal Orlando and Walt Disney World tickets, including discounts on after-hours events like Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party and Jollywood Nights. Start planning at UnlockedMagic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices