TfL commuters disgusted over Lee Cronin’s The Mummy poster depicting dead child

A ‘terrifying’ poster for an upcoming horror movie has caused complaints from upset commuters, who argue that it’s ‘distressing’ for children to see.

Lee Cronin’s The Mummy releases in cinemas tomorrow, and the movie (which is a separate take on the myth from the lighter Brendan Fraser-led franchise, also being rebooted) has a twist; its titular ‘mummy’ is in fact a little girl (Emily Mitchell and later Natalie Grace), who goes missing for eight years only to be discovered in an ancient sarcophagus and brought back to life.

The poster, which has been seen across Transport for London (TfL) tube and bus stations in recent weeks in anticipation of the movie’s launch, depicts a female child’s (Grace) gaunt and greying face, revealed from underneath traditional mummy wrappings covered with a hieroglyph-like language.

She has one eye open and the tagline reads: ‘Some things are meant to stay buried.’

But members of the public are now pushing back on the ‘traumatising’ poster imagery being shared for Lee Cronin’s The Mummy.

‘Just submitted my complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority about this poster ad at tube stations,’ posted Samira Ahmed on X. ‘Why is there so little consideration of the impact of such images on children? (And one might add, on bereaved parents).’

‘It’s a photo-realistic image of a child corpse. If people can’t understand how that might be distressing, it says far more about their brain rot than anything else,’ argued Tom, while Pete Royce added that it shouldn’t be defended for being a film poster as ‘movies and their images are much more powerful and influential than you think’.

Courtney was also among others who called for horror films to be promoted ‘without using gruesome imagery’.

‘I’m usually very chilled about ads, but I have to echo Samira’s sentiment,’ agreed playwright Rebecca Reid. ‘This absolutely terrified my three-year-old last week. No fast food, no women wearing sheer tights, but horror is fine?’

TfL last comprehensively updated its advertising policy in February 2019, when it introduced a ban on unhealthy food and drink adverts across its properties.

In 2017, TfL also insisted that tights brand Heist Studios cover up the naked back of its female dancing model, despite no part of her chest being visible, as she was still classified as a ‘topless’.

The current guidelines also prohibit adverts which ‘could reasonably be seen as distasteful, indecent or obscene, in its use of imagery, language or otherwise’, include direct or immediate violence and anything promoting a political party.

A TfL spokesperson told Metro: ‘All advertising that runs on Transport for London’s (TfL) estate must comply with the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) code and the TfL Advertising Policy.’

As the film’s release is imminent, Metro understands the posters will be removed soon from stations, stops, busses and trains as the campaign booking has finished.

Metro has separately confirmed that the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has received complaints about posters for Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, mainly questioning if ‘the ads are unsuitable to be seen by children’.

While Metro understands no investigation has been launched by the ASA, the complaints are currently being ‘assessed’ to determine whether there are grounds for further action.

However, some fans had little time for the backlash, calling critics of it ‘soft’ – especially considering the genre of movie being promoted.

‘If a horror poster doesn’t make you uncomfortable, it isn’t a horror poster,’ argued one fan, citing imagery used before to publicise films like Saw, which featured a severed leg and a severed hand on different posters.

‘Advertising poster doing exactly what it was designed for,’ insisted Matt. ‘Because of posts about it I went and watched the trailer! Looks terrifying and also good.’

Metro critic Larushka Ivan-Zadeh warns in her review of Lee Cronin’s The Mummy that fans should ‘gird your guts for some hardcore gore’.

‘The gore is nasty, but in a chew your nose off, spit it back in your face with an evil grin kind of way.

‘There are camp bits and comic relief. However, make no mistake, this is properly, 18-rated nasty.’ 

Metro has contacted the Mayor of London’s office and Warner Bros. for comment.

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