Did 'The Mummy' Introduce Van Helsing To The Dark Universe?

06/12/2017 10:18 am EDT

WARNING: This Article Contains Major Spoilers For The Mummy!

The Mummy was set to be the starting line for Universal's connected monster franchise, The Dark Universe. Creatures like Dracula, Frankenstein's monster, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon all had slight Easter Eggs hidden in The Mummy, but there's a new theory floating around online that claims another major character already laid down roots in the franchise.

There's a chance that Van Helsing could have already appeared in The Dark Universe, but just not in the way that many are used to seeing.

According to this theory, the character of Jenny Halsey (Annabelle Wallis) is actually a new take on the Van Helsing character. It may not be what you expect, but it make a lot of sense when you really think about it.

Van Helsing was originally a vampire hunter, but he evolved over time to become a killer of all supernatural monsters. That would make the character a vital asset to Prodigium - the organization in The Dark Universe that tracks and contains the unknown creatures.

Check Out Our Official Review Of The Mummy Here

As seen in the film, Jenny was one of the main agents for Dr. Jekyll and Prodigium, proving her worth to the franchise as a whole. With that in mind, it's easy to see an eventual evolution into the classic Van Helsing character. She's definitely got the mind for the job.

Yes, Van Helsing is traditionally a man, but that shouldn't make any difference here. Casting roles outside of traditional gender and racial norms has become commonplace in Hollywood, since many characters don't actually need to adhere to their original archetype. Plus, The Dark Universe already reversed one role in The Mummy, with Sofia Boutella taking on the role of the villain, so there's no reason why the franchise wouldn't do it again.

Jenny Halsey was never referred to as Van Helsing, and there was never any solid evidence that she would take on the role in the future. But she was a bad-ass monster hunter that totally fits the bit, and The Mummy has laid some solid groundwork for her to take on the mantle down the road.

The Mummy is currently breaking international box office records, but lost out to Wonder Woman this weekend in the US.

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