In a move designed to guarantee that future sequels end up on the direct-to-DVD track, Australian nobody Luke Ford has signed on to play Brendan Fraser’s son in the latest installment of The Mummy franchise. Ford has previously wowed us all with his bit parts in television movies and other things you haven’t seen. Director Rob Cohen said that Ford “tested against four much more established actors, and he was magic when he read with Brendan." He means that literally, Ford actually sawed himself in half while reading with Frasier. If you believe that you should obtain your movie news elsewhere.

The latest sequel to The Mummy is set to include Fraser as Rick O’Connell and Ford as Alex O’Connel, father-son adventurers who head to China to take on a shape shifting mummy. The mummy, a Chinese emperor, will by played by Jet Li and Michelle Yeow will play a wizard who cursed the emperor. The script, written by Miles Millar and Alfred Gough, was based on the true story of a man who had a son. The rest is totally made up.

The addition of new blood to a franchise is nothing new, but it looks like the producers are hoping to save a few bucks in the future while trading on The Mummy name. Ford could be a replacement lead for the much more expensive Fraser in any future movies. We may spin off into a complete father-son direction with Brendan, but by getting an actor who is in his 20s and not a teenager, we can also put the future on his (Ford's) shoulders,” Cohen said. Translation: If Fraser wants more money, we’ll jettison him and make Ford our new hero. Get ready for the action-adventure version of those American Pie sequels.