*Updated* Russell Crowe to Play Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in THE MUMMY

*Updated* Russell Crowe confirms earlier reports that he is going to play Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in The Mummy.

Earlier this week, news broke that Russell Crowe was in discussions to join The Mummy as the classic literary character with a dual personality. Shedding some light on the matter is Crowe himself, who confirmed his involvement while on the press rounds for his new film, The Nice Guys.

Speaking with Collider, Crowe had this to say when asked if he is "officially" on board The Mummy:

"Yeah, I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna play Dr. Henry Jekyll, Fellow of the Royal Society. It’s very interesting, what they’re gonna do with that stuff. I’ve had a couple of chats about it with the director (Alex Kurtzman)."

Previously: According to THR, Crowe is in "early talks" to appear as Dr. Jekyll and his alter ego, Mr. Hyde, in The Mummy movie.

If a deal is solidified, Crowe would join a cast that includes Tom Cruise, Jake Johnson, Annabelle Wallis, Courtney B. Vance, and Sofia Boutella as The Mummy.

The appearance of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in The Mummy would allow Universal to reintroduce audiences to the character before potentially having him star in his own movie—a plan that gels with Universal's ultimate goal of creating a shared cinematic universe for the Universal Monsters.

Directed by Alex Kurtzman from a screenplay by Jon Spaihts (Doctor Strange, Prometheus), and scheduled to hit theaters on June 9th, 2017, The Mummy is the first step in creating the new Universal Monsters universe. Additionally, Johnny Depp is set to star in The Invisible Man, and David Koepp (Jurassic Park, Dark Angel) is writing a script for a new Bride of Frankenstein film. Universal has April 13th, 2018 and February 15th, 2019, reserved for Universal Monster movie debuts, and time will tell if Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde will one day get a calendar spot for their own movie.

Dr. Jekyll was created by author Robert Louis Stevenson as the main character in the 1886 novella, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. The doctor infamously ingests a serum meant to suppress the evil within, but the potion instead unleashes his dark side and forces him to become the malevolent Mr. Hyde.

Tom Hardy and Javier Bardem were previously in discussions to play Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

An Academy Award Winner for his work in Gladiator, Crowe has played a large number of memorable roles throughout his career, such as John Nash in A Beautiful Mind, Bud White in L.A. Confidential, and Capt. Jack Aubrey in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. Viewers can next see Crowe in Shane Black's The Nice Guys, and we'll be sure to keep Daily Dead readers updated on his potential portrayal of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

*Right image above courtesy of Daniel Horne.