The exhibits are waking up once more — and this time, it’s a whole new generation of chaos. Deadline is reporting that 21 Laps is developing a brand-new Night at the Museum reboot for 20th Century Studios, with Die Hart writer Tripper Clancy set to pen the script. The new spin on the midnight madness in the exhibits won’t continue the saga of Ben Stiller’s Larry Daley, but instead introduces all-new characters and a reimagined story set at the museum. Franchise mainstay Shawn Levy, who directed the original trilogy, returns to produce alongside Dan Levine, with Emily Morris overseeing for 21 Laps.
As for why we’re returning to this story? Easy to explain. The Night at the Museum trilogy proved to be a major box office success, with all three films combining for approximately $1.35 billion worldwide, with the original 2006 film earning around $574 million globally, establishing the franchise as a hit. Its 2009 sequel, Battle of the Smithsonian, followed with a strong $413 million, while the third installment, Secret of the Tomb, brought in about $363 million in 2014. Though each sequel saw a decline in earnings, they were all still hugely successful financially.
Where Did We Leave ‘Night at the Museum’?
The reboot news arrives more than a decade after Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb hit theatres — a film that, despite its flaws, carried a poignant weight due to Robin Williams’ final on-screen performance. In one of the most bittersweet moments in the film, Williams’ Teddy Roosevelt gives Stiller’s character a heartfelt goodbye about knowing when it’s time to say farewell — a line that hits differently in the wake of Williams’ tragic passing that same year. Though the film’s emotional notes were often clumsy, that single scene stands out as genuinely moving.
The rest of Secret of the Tomb? Not quite as successful. Stiller looked visibly bored as Larry trudged through yet another chaotic night shift, this time at London’s British Museum. The film offered muddled mythology (a doomsday prophecy about a magic tablet?) and scattershot comedy — with even the reliable slapstick boiling down to monkey urine gags on miniature Owen Wilson and Steve Coogan. Newcomers like Dan Stevens as Sir Lancelot and Rebel Wilson added energy, but the tonal mishmash and tacked-on family drama left it feeling like a franchise running on fumes. The franchise was continued somewhat on Disney+ with an animated follow-up, but this is a new attempt at recapturing the magic.
The Night at the Museum movies can be streamed on Disney+.
via Collider