The Mummy (1999) vs. The Mummy (2017): Which Movie Should You Watch First?

Start with The Mummy (1999) if you want the most accessible introduction to this version of the story. Stephen Sommers’s film is a complete Egyptian adventure built around Rick O’Connell, librarian Evelyn and the resurrected priest Imhotep. It balances romance, comedy, archaeological mystery and monster spectacle without requiring any other film.

The Mummy (2017) is not a sequel to the Brendan Fraser film. Alex Kurtzman’s movie is a separate reboot starring Tom Cruise as Nick Morton and Sofia Boutella as Princess Ahmanet. You can watch it first or by itself, but its modern setting and franchise-launch structure make it a different proposition rather than a continuation.

#	Preview	Product	Price
1		The Mummy (1999) [Blu-ray]	$7.96	Buy on Amazon
2		The Mummy (1999) [Blu-ray]	$15.90	Buy on Amazon
3		The Mummy Trilogy (Blu-ray + Digital)	$11.89	Buy on Amazon
4		The Mummy Ultimate Collection [Blu-ray]	$12.99	Buy on Amazon
5		The Mummy Trilogy - 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital [4K UHD]	$22.99	Buy on Amazon

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The two films at a glance

The titles are identical, but the movies differ in continuity, setting, character design and storytelling priorities. This table keeps the basic facts separate before the deeper comparison.

Are the films connected?

No. The 2017 film does not continue the plot of the 1999 movie, and no Fraser-era character returns in the Cruise film. The shared element is the Universal monster property, not a shared storyline. The reboot changes the lead to Nick Morton and reimagines the mummy as Princess Ahmanet.

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That distinction answers the practical question many viewers have: you do not need to watch the 1999 film before the 2017 film. Nothing in the later movie assumes that you know Rick, Evelyn or Imhotep. Conversely, watching the 2017 version first does not provide essential background for the 1999 adventure.

There are still reasons to choose an order. The 1999 production is the film most people mean when they refer to the Brendan Fraser-era Mummy movies, and it establishes the series’ particular combination of pulp adventure, romance and comic monster action. Seeing it first gives you that baseline. The 2017 title then works as an alternate interpretation rather than as a chapter you must fit into the earlier story.

What you get from The Mummy (1999)

A self-contained archaeological adventure

The story begins with explorers seeking treasure in the Egyptian desert. Rick O’Connell, librarian Evelyn and an archaeological crew accidentally resurrect Imhotep, a priest who has been dead for 3,000 years. His return activates the curse that drives the film’s central conflict.

The setup gives the movie a clear progression: an expedition, a discovery, the consequences of disturbing an ancient power and a race to contain the resulting threat. You do not have to learn a larger cinematic universe or wait for another installment to explain the ending. The premise supplies its own beginning, middle and end.

An ensemble rather than a single-star vehicle

Brendan Fraser’s Rick is the action lead, but the film’s appeal depends on the interplay among Rick, Evelyn and the wider expedition. Rachel Weisz’s Evelyn supplies the librarian and researcher perspective, while the supporting adventurers create the comic and human texture around the supernatural plot. Arnold Vosloo’s Imhotep provides the imposing counterweight to that ensemble.

This structure matters when deciding what to watch first. Viewers who enjoy a team discovering danger together will find more to follow than a simple hero-versus-monster story. The romance develops inside the expedition rather than replacing it, so the movie can move between emotional scenes, jokes, historical mystery and set-piece action without changing its basic identity.

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A clearly defined pulp tone

Universal categorizes the 1999 film as action, adventure, thriller and fantasy. Those labels describe its balance: the danger is supernatural, but the storytelling remains brisk and accessible. The curse is explained through the plot, and the adventure framework keeps the mythology understandable even when the spectacle becomes large.

Its tone is also why the movie remains a strong default recommendation for a group watch. One viewer can come for the romance, another for the Egyptian setting, another for the monster effects and another for the comic supporting characters. The film does not require everyone to prefer straight horror or straight action.

The time commitment

At 2 hours 5 minutes, the 1999 movie is 14 minutes longer than the 2017 reboot. That extra time is used for the expedition, the relationships and the explanation of Imhotep’s curse. If you want the fuller ensemble adventure and do not mind a conventional feature length, its runtime is unlikely to be a problem. If your priority is a shorter standalone watch, the 2017 film has the more compact running time.

What you get from The Mummy (2017)

A present-day supernatural premise

The reboot starts in the modern day. Tom Cruise plays Nick Morton, and Sofia Boutella plays Princess Ahmanet, an ancient princess awakened after millennia. The supernatural danger then moves from the Middle East toward modern London, giving the film a contemporary setting instead of the 1999 movie’s primarily archaeological desert adventure.

This change affects the viewing experience immediately. Rather than following an expedition whose discovery creates the crisis, the 2017 film places an existing modern protagonist in the path of an awakened threat. The story is designed as a new entry point for a monster franchise, not as a return to Rick and Evelyn’s world.

A reboot built around expansion

The Cruise film has the shape of a franchise launch. Its premise introduces a new version of the mummy, a new lead and a threat that can extend beyond the original setting. That makes it useful for viewers who are curious about how a familiar monster might be reworked for a contemporary action format.

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The same design can make it feel less immediately complete than the 1999 adventure. A franchise-launch setup naturally spends attention establishing its version of the mythology and positioning the characters for a broader world. If you prefer a story that is primarily concerned with one expedition and one curse, the 1999 film is the cleaner fit. If you like modern reboots and the possibility of a larger supernatural framework, the 2017 film offers that angle.

A different kind of lead performance

Nick Morton is not a replacement for Rick O’Connell in the continuity sense. He is a new protagonist with a present-day setting and a different relationship to the supernatural threat. Tom Cruise’s presence makes the reboot a star-led action film, while the 1999 movie distributes its appeal more evenly across its romantic-adventure ensemble.

Choose the 2017 version when the lead actor, the contemporary environment or the reboot concept is your primary reason for watching. Those are meaningful differences, not details that become interchangeable once the monster appears.

Compare the films on the four useful decision points

1. Continuity

The continuity question is the simplest: there is no required order. The 1999 and 2017 films tell separate stories with different protagonists and different mummies. Watching both is closer to comparing two adaptations of a shared monster idea than following one saga.

For a first-time viewer who expects the Fraser characters to appear in the Cruise film, that warning prevents the most common disappointment. The reboot is not a hidden sequel, and the 1999 movie is not a prologue that explains Nick Morton’s story.

2. Tone

The 1999 film uses pulp-adventure energy. Its supernatural material sits alongside romance, jokes, exploration and a clearly explained curse. The result is a broad crowd-pleaser for viewers who want the fun of a classic adventure with a monster at its center.

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The 2017 film takes a more contemporary supernatural-action route. Its threat is tied to an ancient princess entering the modern world, and its franchise-launch premise gives the film a darker, more modern framing. That does not make it a continuation of the earlier tone; it is a deliberate reset.

3. Character focus

In 1999, the central relationship among Rick, Evelyn and the expedition is as important as the monster. Their cooperation and romantic tension give the curse a human context. The supporting characters help define the movie’s comic-adventure identity.

In 2017, Nick Morton’s encounter with Ahmanet anchors the story. The emphasis is on a modern action protagonist confronting a supernatural force whose reach extends toward London. Viewers should therefore choose based on whether they want an ensemble adventure or a star-led reboot.

4. Runtime

The 2017 film runs for 1 hour 51 minutes, while the 1999 film runs for 2 hours 5 minutes. The 14-minute difference is noticeable when you are planning a short evening, but it should not determine the choice by itself. The longer film spends its additional time on the expedition and relationships; the shorter one gives you a more compact route into its reboot premise.

Which one fits your viewing mood?

• You want an Egyptian expedition with romance and comic adventure: choose the 1999 film. Its setting, ensemble and curse-driven plot all point in that direction.
• You want Tom Cruise in a modern supernatural action story: choose the 2017 film. Nick Morton and Princess Ahmanet provide a new entry point rather than a continuation.
• You are introducing the property to a mixed group: the 1999 film offers more tonal variety, combining action, adventure, thriller, fantasy, romance and comedy within one self-contained story.
• You have less than two hours: the 2017 film’s 1-hour-51-minute runtime is the practical option.
• You want to understand the Fraser-era movies people commonly discuss: begin with the 1999 film, then continue with its related follow-ups if you enjoy that version of the world.
• You are comparing reboots rather than following a series: watch either first, then treat the second as a separate interpretation. No plot knowledge transfers between them.

Is the 1999 movie better received?

Reception data favors the 1999 film as the safer general recommendation, although scores are not a substitute for matching the movie to your taste. Rotten Tomatoes’ page snapshot from 2026 lists the film at 64% from 108 critics’ reviews and 75% from more than 250,000 audience ratings. The audience figure indicates a large, durable base of viewers who enjoy the movie even though the critic score is not exceptionally high.

Rotten Tomatoes summarizes the critical position with the phrase “undeniably fun to watch.” That wording captures the film’s strongest advantage for a first viewing: its entertainment value is easy to identify even when a viewer is not seeking a technically serious historical fantasy.

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Roger Ebert’s reaction, quoted by Time in 2017, was more ambivalent but still revealing: “There is hardly a thing I can say in its favor, except that I was cheered by nearly every minute of it.” The line points to the same quality from a different angle. The movie’s purpose is energetic, accessible spectacle, and its success depends on whether that kind of pleasure is what you want from the evening.

Those figures describe the 1999 title only. They should not be read as a direct numerical verdict on the 2017 reboot, and Rotten Tomatoes scores can change as pages and review totals update. Use the timestamp with any quoted score rather than treating it as permanent.

A practical watch plan

If you are watching one film

1. Pick the 1999 movie for a complete desert adventure centered on Rick, Evelyn and Imhotep.
2. Pick the 2017 movie for a shorter, present-day story centered on Nick Morton and Princess Ahmanet.
3. Do not add preparation viewing. Neither film requires the other.

If you want to watch both

Watching the 1999 film first creates a useful contrast: you begin with the established Fraser-era formula, then see how the 2017 reboot changes the protagonist, setting and monster mythology. Watching in the opposite order is equally coherent if Tom Cruise or the modern premise is what first attracted you; the second film will still stand on its own.

Leave enough time to treat them as two separate movies rather than one continuous plot. The most useful comparison comes from noticing how each film handles the same broad monster concept with different characters and storytelling priorities.

If you want to continue after 1999

Universal’s The Mummy Ultimate Collection is available in Blu-ray plus Digital and DVD editions. The listed set contains The Mummy (1999), The Mummy Returns, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor and The Scorpion King. That collection follows the Fraser-era run; it does not turn the 2017 reboot into part of that continuity.

The clear choice

For most first-time viewers, the 1999 film is the stronger starting point because it delivers a complete adventure, a memorable ensemble and a clearly explained curse in one sitting. The 2017 film remains an easy standalone choice when your priorities are a shorter runtime, Tom Cruise, a present-day setting or a reboot centered on Princess Ahmanet. Choose by those priorities, not by an assumption that the two titles form a single story.

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1

The Mummy (1999) [Blu-ray]

$7.96

Bestseller No. 2

The Mummy (1999) [Blu-ray]

$15.90

Bestseller No. 3

The Mummy Trilogy (Blu-ray + Digital)

$11.89

Bestseller No. 4

The Mummy Ultimate Collection [Blu-ray]

Brand New in box. The product ships with all relevant accessories

$12.99

Bestseller No. 5

The Mummy Trilogy - 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital [4K UHD]

$22.99

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