Brendan Fraser has made a triumphant return to the silver screen thanks to his new film The Whale and could soon be reprising the role which rocketed his career into superstardom.
The actor, 53, is widely recognised for his role as adventurer Rick O'Connell in The Mummy and its two sequels. He led the films to massive box office success and received widespread critical acclaim.
Brendan hasn't returned to the land of the undead since 2008's The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.
He now says he would be "open" to revisit the franchise, but admitted his comeback would have to be done under the right circumstances.
"I don't know how it would work.
"But I'd be open to it if someone came up with the right conceit," Brendan said in an interview with Variety.
The Mummy director Stephen Sommers reflected on his decision to cast Brendan in the role and said: "He could throw a punch and take a punch and he had a great sense of humour.
"You really like the guy. He never comes across as cocky or arrogant."
He added that the star did as many of his own stunts as he could, even injuring his knee at one point. Brendan powered through it to complete the film.
Brendan's latest role in The Whale sees him portray a 600-pound gay man confined to a wheelchair - a role for which he also had to don prosthetics.
Released in cinemas in December, the film made its debut at the Venice Film Festival last month, and is tipped to earn the actor an Oscar nomination.
The Whale's official synopsis reads: "A reclusive English teacher suffering from severe obesity attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter for one last chance at redemption."
Brendan was recently given a five minute standing ovation for the London screening of his new film, with the actor left fighting back tears.
In a video shared by a member of the audience at the London Film Festival, an emotional Brendan is seen bowing to a flurry of applause before hugging Darren and screenwriter Samuel D. Hunter.
"Am I at Venice? 5 min standing ovation for Brendan Fraser's masterpiece performance in #TheWhale.
"He had the crowd in the palm of his hand the entire movie. My heart is in my throat," the viewer captioned the video.
Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at webcelebs@mirror.co.uk or call us direct 0207 29 33033.
