Jet Li is the Mummy!

I still remember interviewing Jet Li (one of my very first celebrity encounters at JoBlo.com) for KISS OF THE DRAGON and thinking, this guy has what it takes to be the next Bruce Lee. Of course there was some naivete on my part but still, Li’s career has not quite panned out like I thought. There were a lot of misfires and he’s not even the most sought after actor surnamed Li (Gong takes that prize). But Li is looking to make another stab at American stardom with a starring role in THE MUMMY 3. Li will play the villainous Mummy in the film, which will be directed by Rob Cohen (STEALTH). Stephen Sommers, who directed the first two MUMMY films, will produce. Hollywood Reporter says of the third installment, MUMMY 3 begins in “ancient times before moving to a post-World War II setting. It is also known that one sequence involves the famous terra-cotta warriors, the collection of 6,000 men and their horses that were originally constructed to protect the tomb of an emperor.” I never gave much of a shit about the MUMMY films but I’m always game for seeing Jet Li back on screen. His last American film, WAR (formerly titled ROGUE), is set for release in September.