Director Alex Kurtzman set out to create a modern monster movie, true to the spirit of the original Universal films of the 1930s. There needed to be a grounded, emotional reality, while still crossing into the supernatural and scary. The monster, in this case the Mummy herself, has an origin story and performance that is relatable and human while being powerful and dangerous. With the addition of Tom Cruise to the case, the film is also a fast paced thrill ride with moments of humour to break up the psychological intensity.

Most of MPCs work on the film was creating the character of Ahmanet and the various undead characters she creates, summons and controls.