The timeline of Universal’s original Mummy series is so messed up that some of the sequels technically take place in the future. Though the franchise launched with 1932’s The Mummy, the sequels didn’t begin until 1940. The Mummy’s Hand has nothing to do with Boris Karloff’s Imhotep, and actually introduces a new mummy named Kharis who is the face of the franchise until the end.

Often overlooked when compared to the rest of Universal’s Classic Monsters cycle, the Mummy franchise is certainly weaker than the other series. Made during a low period in the studio’s history, the sequels to The Mummy were quickly churned out to make a quick buck. As such, the films are all under 90 minutes, with some barely cracking the one-hour mark.

Though they are not as good as other notable sequels in the Classic Monsters cycle, there’s something endlessly charming about Universal’s first Mummy franchise. The low-budget effects and cheesy acting hearken back to a simpler time in Hollywood, and they are easy to binge-watch around Halloween. As far as B-movies go, one could do a lot worse than Universal’s Mummy flicks.

Because they were slapped together over the course of a few years, little thought was put into the continuity of the series. Not only are there glaring inconsistencies with the story, but the timeline is downright baffling. If the movies themselves are to be believed, the Mummy sequels technically take place in the future. Despite this, every one of the sequels looks suspiciously like they take place in the 1940s.

Universal’s Original Mummy Movies Have A Lot Of Time Jumps

The troubling timeline of Universal’s original Mummy series begins with 1940’s The Mummy’s Hand. Arguably the best of the sequels, the adventure horror flick introduces Kharis as the new mummy menace that will terrorize the heroes for the rest of the series. Because the movie never indicates otherwise, it’s safe to assume that The Mummy’s Hand is set in the present year of 1940.

The next film, The Mummy’s Tomb, quickly establishes that 30 years have passed since the events of The Mummy’s Hand. This means that Tomb, and the subsequent sequel, The Mummy’s Ghost, take place in the year 1970. At the end of The Mummy’s Ghost, Kharis is trapped in a swamp where he is said to remain for the next 25 years. Therefore, The Mummy’s Curse concludes the series in the year 1995.

Even assuming that The Mummy’s Hand is actually set closer to the events of The Mummy, it only shaves a few years off the confusing timeline. The movies never acknowledge the time jumps outside a few lines of throwaway dialogue, and the jumps are usually used to write off characters and explain why a new series of Egyptian high priests arrives in every movie. Though it’s fun to speculate about the jumps, it can really be chalked up to lazy screenwriting.

Universal’s Original Mummy Franchise Includes:

The Classic Mummy Movie Timeline Makes No Sense

As previously established, the producers of Universal’s original Mummy franchise weren’t too concerned with continuity. The concept of continuity was much less important back in the day because audiences had no way to check the writer’s work. Movies would play in theaters, and outside a rare theatrical return, were never seen again. Therefore, the Mummy franchise plays fast and loose with its own timeline.

One glaring continuity error is the fact that Dr. Banning (John Hubbard) is drafted into WWII at the end of The Mummy’s Tomb. This seems to suggest the movie takes place in the present day, despite the 30-year time jump from The Mummy’s Hand. In what is probably the biggest intentional change in the series, the swamp that Kharis dies in during The Mummy’s Ghost moves from Massachusetts to Louisiana in The Mummy’s Curse.

Unlike modern film franchises which are committed to strict continuity, the earliest series were more concerned with keeping things interesting. Therefore, the original Universal Mummy series wasn’t afraid to contradict itself in order to spice things up. In the end, the confusing timeline doesn’t matter as much as the spooky mummy action.

First Film

The Mummy (1932)

Created by

Stephen Sommers, Nina Wilcox Putnam, Richard Schayer

Latest Film

The Mummy