A ‘Night at the Museum’ Reboot Is Coming. Here’s What We Know
Published: July 13th, 2025.
The museum is coming back to life again! Nearly a decade after the last live-action installment, Night at the Museum is officially being revived at 20th Century Studios, this time as a full-fledged reboot. The new film will feature an entirely fresh cast and story, with screenwriter Tripper Clancy (Stuber, I Am Not Okay With This) attached to write the script. Shawn Levy, who directed the original trilogy, will produce alongside Dan Levine under their 21 Laps Entertainment banner, with Emily Morris overseeing development.
Plot details are still under wraps, but sources confirm the reboot will reimagine the central premise: a night security guard discovers that the exhibits in a museum magically come to life after dark. However, this new version will not follow Larry Daley, the character made iconic by Ben Stiller, but instead introduce brand-new characters and settings. Whether the story remains anchored in the American Museum of Natural History or moves to a new location entirely has yet to be revealed.
First released in 2006, Night at the Museum struck a unique chord by blending family-friendly comedy with historical fantasy. It introduced audiences to Larry Daley, a down-on-his-luck dad who takes a night guard job only to discover that the museum’s displays come alive each night due to an ancient magical tablet. The franchise quickly became known for its chaotic but heartwarming nighttime adventures, blending slapstick comedy with lessons in history and responsibility.
Across three live-action films, Night at the Museum (2006), Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), and Secret of the Tomb (2014), Larry was joined by a colorful ensemble cast including Robin Williams as Theodore Roosevelt, Rami Malek as Pharaoh Ahkmenrah, Owen Wilson as cowboy Jedediah, Steve Coogan as Roman general Octavius, and Ricky Gervais as the uptight museum director. These quirky, often mismatched historical figures became beloved characters, turning the franchise into a $1.3 billion global success.
A fourth animated film, Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again, was released on Disney+ in 2022. Though it featured a new voice cast, it continued the magical tablet storyline and was a soft franchise continuation. Still, it never reached the popularity of the original films.
The reboot arrives at a cultural moment where reboots and remakes are almost expected. In 2025 alone, audiences are seeing the return of The Naked Gun, Lilo & Stitch, The Fantastic Four, and Jurassic World: Rebirth. Hollywood’s obsession with revisiting familiar titles isn’t new, but it’s never been more pervasive. Whether driven by post-pandemic box office uncertainty or the comfort of nostalgia in uncertain times, legacy IP has become the industry’s safest bet.
However, rebooting Night at the Museum brings both opportunity and risk. For longtime fans, the franchise carries a deep emotional connection, mainly due to the presence of Robin Williams, who passed away in 2014 shortly before the third film's release. Many fans online have expressed concern about whether a reboot can retain the charm and heart of the original without feeling like a soulless retread.
Others are more optimistic, with some hoping the reboot will introduce a new generation to the magic of history, much like the original films did in the 2000s. Fans even speculate that the story could center on Larry Daley’s son, Nick, growing up and taking over the night guard duties, a narrative thread hinted at in Secret of the Tomb.
No casting announcements have been made yet, and no release date has been confirmed. But one thing’s sure: the museum’s doors are opening again. Whether audiences will rush back in or stay outside waiting for something new is a question that only time (and box office numbers) will answer.
Until then, we can only imagine who will come to life this time.