Nine years ago, a trailer for a Tom Cruise movie unexpectedly became a viral sensation – and unfortunately, it contributed to the quick downfall of a new film series before it could gain traction. Tom Cruise has starred in some of the biggest and most popular movies of the last fifty years, from classics like Top Gun to the hugely successful Mission: Impossible films, solidifying his status as a major movie star. However, in 2017, a new franchise attempt with several big names ultimately failed. Despite the franchise’s flop, one surprisingly positive outcome emerged: a trailer that was accidentally released and became a massive meme.
Before The Mummy hit theaters, Universal Studios released an IMAX trailer to get fans excited. Unfortunately, the trailer didn’t work as planned because the audio wasn’t properly mixed. The music and sound effects were missing, leaving only dialogue and a lot of Tom Cruise yelling.
Tom Cruise Screaming in The Mummy Trailer Became a Huge Meme
Nine years ago, a legendary Hollywood trailer mishap occurred: Universal Pictures mistakenly released the IMAX trailer for ‘The Mummy,’ featuring nothing but Tom Cruise yelling.
— FilmX’s Number One Fan (@GAltringham) December 20, 2025
Universal’s 2017 release of The Mummy was intended to kickstart a new series of monster movies called the Dark Universe. However, previous attempts to revive the franchise hadn’t been successful. In 2010, The Wolfman, directed by Joe Johnston, was meant to be the beginning, but it didn’t catch on with audiences. Universal tried again in 2014 with Dracula Untold, an origin story for the iconic vampire, but that also underperformed. The Mummy was supposed to be a fresh start, but after the over-the-top trailer was released, the film seemed destined to fail.
The initial IMAX trailer for The Mummy had almost no sound effects or music. All that was really audible was the dialogue and Tom Cruise yelling. While the actual trailer softened the screams with sound effects, this version just featured Cruise screaming. This was a major error, and even after Universal removed the trailer online, enough people had seen and saved it that it quickly became the subject of a popular internet meme.
Online, people began editing Tom Cruise’s scream from The Mummy into famous movie scenes. They put it over moments like Darth Vader’s final scene in Revenge of the Sith, Superman’s confrontation with Zod in Man of Steel, and even the iconic volleyball scene from the original Top Gun. This trend echoed the viral dancing clips from Morbius, but gained much more traction due to the higher expectations surrounding The Mummy. Sadly for Universal, most people now remember the Tom Cruise scream more vividly than anything actually happening in the movie itself.
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2025-12-21 02:10