Epic Universal Podcast

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

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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.com
      Eric 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
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      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.

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      Epic Universal PodcastBy Jim Hill Media Podcast Network
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