Night at the Museum (franchise)

Last updated

Night at the Museum
Night-at-the-museum-logo.svg
Franchise logo
Created by
Original work Night at the Museum (2006)
Owner 20th Century Studios
Years2006–present
Based on The Night at the Museum and Another Night at the Museum
by Milan Trenc
Print publications
Novel(s)
  • Night at the Museum: The Junior Novelization (2006)
  • Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian: The Junior Novelization (2009)
  • Nick's Tales: Night of the Dragons (2011)
  • Nick's Tales: Night of the Giants (2013)
  • Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb: The Junior Novelization (2014)
Films and television
Film(s)
Games
Video game(s) Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)

Night at the Museum is an American media franchise of fantasy-comedy films based on the 1993 children's book by Milan Trenc, directed by Shawn Levy and written by Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon. Starring Ben Stiller as a museum night security guard named Larry Daley, the first three films also star an ensemble cast featuring Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Ricky Gervais, Steve Coogan, Patrick Gallagher, Rami Malek, Mizuo Peck, Mickey Rooney, Bill Cobbs, Brad Garrett and Dick Van Dyke, while the video game and 4th film feature a recast ensemble of voice actors.

Contents

Films

Night at the Museum (2006)

When Larry Daley (Ben Stiller), a divorced father who was having trouble finding a job, applies for a job at the American Museum of Natural History, he is assigned as a night guard. However, a seemingly easy job turns out to be a wild ride when he finds that an ancient spell has caused the exhibits of the museum to come to life.

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)

Three years after the first film, several of the exhibits are transferred to the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., and Dexter the monkey steals the tablet of Ahkmenrah. Larry must break in and team up with his old friends, and new ally Amelia Earhart, to get it back from Ahkmenrah's resurrected evil older brother Kahmunrah before morning.

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014)

Five years after the second film, Larry discovers that the tablet of Ahkmenrah's magic is failing. He and his now-teenage son Nick, along with Teddy Roosevelt, Sacagawea, Jedediah, Octavius, Dexter, Attila the Hun, and a new caveman figure named Laaa (who looks like Larry) travel to the British Museum in London to undo the curse, with the help of Ahkmenrah's parents and the narcissistic Sir Lancelot of Camelot, before the tablet's magic disappears forever.

Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again (2022)

The story follows Nick Daley, the teenage son of Larry Daley (the former night guard of the American Museum of Natural History), as he takes on the role of night watchman at the museum. Like his father, Nick quickly discovers that the exhibits come to life at night thanks to a magical Egyptian tablet.

Nick struggles with anxiety and self-doubt but is determined to prove himself. His fears are put to the test when Kahmunrah, the villainous pharaoh from Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian, escapes his underground tomb. Kahmunrah has plans to unleash the Egyptian underworld and take over the world with an army of the undead. To stop him, Nick teams up with the familiar living exhibits, including Teddy Roosevelt, Sacagawea, Attila the Hun, Laaa the caveman, and Joan of Arc, in a comedic and action-packed adventure. Together, they must prevent Kahmunrah from opening a portal to the underworld and destroying the world.

Future

Thomas Lennon hinted that another film could be developed and expressed interest in doing another live-action film with Ben Stiller. He added that the animated film "opens up a lot of new possibilities". [1]

In July 2025, The Hollywood Reporter confirmed that a new live-action Night at the Museum film is in the works. The project is being produced by Shawn Levy's production company, 21 Laps Entertainment. Levy, will serve as a producer alongside Dan Levine and Emily Morris. Tripper Clancy, has been hired to write the screenplay. The film is expected to introduce a new set of characters and historical figures, marking a creative shift from the original films. [2]

Main cast and characters

List indicators

This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in the series.

CharactersFilmsVideo game
Night at the Museum Night at the Museum:
Battle of the Smithsonian
Night at the Museum:
Secret of the Tomb
Night at the Museum:
Kahmunrah Rises Again
Night at the Museum:
Battle of the Smithsonian
20062009201420222009
Recurring characters
Lawrence "Larry" Daley Ben Stiller Zachary Levi V Ben Stiller V
Theodore Roosevelt Robin Williams [a] Thomas Lennon V Mark Moseley V
Nicholas "Nick" Daley Jake Cherry Skyler Gisondo Joshua Bassett V Jake Cherry V
Jedediah Owen Wilson Steve Zahn V Dustin Leighton V
Octavius Steve Coogan Jack Whitehall V Dave Wittenberg V
Dr. McPhee Ricky Gervais Jamie Demetriou V Ricky Gervais V
Attila Patrick Gallagher Alexander Salamat V Jim Cummings V
Sacagawea Mizuo Peck Kieran Sequoia V Mizuo Peck V
Dexter Crystal the Monkey Dee Bradley Baker V
Easter Island Head Brad Garrett V Kelemete Misipeka V Jim Cummings V
Brad Garrett V
Ahkmenrah Rami Malek Crispin Freeman V
Cecil "C. J." Fredericks Dick Van Dyke Dick Van Dyke E C Dick Van Dyke
Percy Hynes White Y
Gus Mickey Rooney Mickey Rooney E C Mickey Rooney
Reginald Bill Cobbs Bill Cobbs E C Bill Cobbs
Erica Daley Kim Raver Gillian Jacobs V
Kahmunrah Hank Azaria Joseph Kamal V Marc Graue V
Hank Azaria V
Amelia Earhart / Tess Amy Adams Molly Hagan V
Ivan the Terrible Christopher Guest Neil Kaplan V
Napoleon Bonaparte Alain Chabat Brian George V
Al Capone Jon Bernthal André Sogliuzzo V
George Armstrong Custer Bill Hader Chad Einbinder V
The Thinker Hank Azaria V Ted Biaselli V
Hank Azaria V
Abraham Lincoln Statue
Cherub Cupid Statues Jonas Brothers V Jonas Brothers V
Able the Space Monkey Crystal the MonkeyDee Bradley Baker V
Albert Einstein Bobbleheads Eugene Levy V Eugene Levy V
LaaaBen StillerZachary Levi V
Merenkahre Ben Kingsley Jonathan Roumie V
Single-film characters
Rebecca Hutman Carla Gugino
Don Paul Rudd
Christopher Columbus Statue Pierfrancesco Favino
Meriwether Lewis Martin Christopher
William Clark Martin Sims
Sailor Joey Motorola Jay Baruchel
Brundon the Security Guard Jonah Hill
Docent Mindy Kaling
Oscar the Grouch Caroll Spinney
Darth Vader Thomas Morley
Lancelot Dan Stevens
Tilly Rebel Wilson
Shepseheret Anjali Jay
Madeline Phelps Rachael Harris
Garuda Artefact Robin Williams V
Hugh Jackman / King Arthur Himself C U
Alice Eve / Guinevere Herself C U
Joan of Arc Alice Isaaz V
George Washington Chris Parnell V
Seth Akmal Saleh V
Ronnie Bowen Yang V
MiaShelby Simmons V
BodhiTenzing Norgay Trainor V
Neanderthal Chad Einbinder V
Sheila BurnsMolly Hagan V
Billy the Kid Ted Biaselli V
Cleopatra Julie Nathanson V
Ben Franklin André Sogliuzzo V

Additional crew and production details

FilmDirectorProducer(s)Writer(s)ComposerCinematographerEditor(s)Production companiesDistributor
Night at the Museum Shawn Levy Shawn Levy
Chris Columbus
Michael Barnathan
Thomas Lennon
Robert Ben Garant
Alan Silvestri Guillermo Navarro Don Zimmerman 1492 Pictures
20th Century Fox
21 Laps Entertainment
20th Century Fox
Night at the Museum:
Battle of the Smithsonian
John Schwartzman Don Zimmerman
Dean Zimmerman
1492 Pictures
20th Century Fox
21 Laps Entertainment
Dune Entertainment
Night at the Museum:
Secret of the Tomb
David Guion
Michael Handelman
Guillermo NavarroDean Zimmerman 1492 Pictures
20th Century Fox
21 Laps Entertainment
TSG Entertainment
Night at the Museum:
Kahmunrah Rises Again
Matt Danner [3] Shawn Levy [4] Ray DeLaurentis
William Schifrin
John Paesano [5] Luc Perrault Walt Disney Pictures [6]
Atomic Cartoons
Alibaba Pictures
21 Laps Entertainment
Disney+

Reception

Box office

TitleU.S. release dateBudgetBox office grossBox office rankingRef.
Opening weekend
(North America)
North AmericaOther territoriesWorldwideAll time
North America
All time
Worldwide
Night at the Museum December 22, 2006$110 million$30,433,781$250,863,268$323,617,961$574,481,229#100#123 [7]
Night at the Museum:
Battle of the Smithsonian
May 22, 2009$150 million$54,173,286$177,243,721$235,862,449$413,106,170#221#220 [8]
Night at the Museum:
Secret of the Tomb
December 19, 2014$127 million$17,100,520$113,746,621$249,458,014$363,204,635#516#272 [9]
Totals$387 million$101,707,587$541,853,610$808,938,424$1,350,792,034 [10]

Critical and public response

The franchise has received mixed reviews from critics.

Film Rotten Tomatoes Metacritic CinemaScore [11]
Night at the Museum 43% (136 reviews) [12] 48 (28 reviews) [13] A-
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian 45% (167 reviews) [14] 42 (31 reviews) [15] B+
Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb 47% (112 reviews) [16] 47 (33 reviews) [17] B+
Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again 71% (14 reviews) [18] TBA

Video game

In April and May 2009, Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian – The Video Game , an action-adventure video game adaptation of the feature film of the same name, developed by Amaze Entertainment and Pipeworks Software, was published by Majesco Entertainment to BlackBerry, Wii, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS, and Xbox 360. [19] Ben Stiller reprises his role in the film as the voice of Larry Daley. [20]

Stage

In April 2020, Alan Menken revealed that he is working as lyricist and composer for a stage musical adaptation of Night at the Museum. [21] On September 11, 2020, Night at the Museum director Shawn Levy revealed that he is also working on the musical, which has been in development for "a year and a half" by that point. [22] Work on the musical had to be done remotely through Zoom due to COVID. [21]

See also

References

  1. Crowley, Liam (December 6, 2022). "Thomas Lennon Teases Night at the Museum's Future (Exclusive)". comicbook.com. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
  2. Galuppo, Mia (July 9, 2025). "New 'Night at the Museum' Movie in the Works". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  3. "Matt Danner on Twitter: "Plug time! Keep and eye out for my animated movie coming to Disney+ this December!!! Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again"". Twitter. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  4. "The Walt Disney Company Investor Day 2020 - THE 2020 INVESTOR DAY PROGRAMMING FACT SHEET" (PDF). Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  5. Schonewill, Kyle; Earle, Robby (March 17, 2022). "What's New in the MCU with John Paesano". Friends From Work: An Unofficial Marvel Podcast (Podcast). Retrieved March 19, 2022.
  6. @disneystudios (November 3, 2022). "Check out the first look at Night of the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again, coming to @DisneyPlus December 9" (Tweet) via Twitter.
  7. "Night at the Museum (2006)". Box Office Mojo.
  8. "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009)". Box Office Mojo.
  9. "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014)". Box Office Mojo.
  10. "Night at the Museum franchise". boxofficemojo.com. IMDb. Archived from the original on September 7, 2018. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  11. "CinemaScore". CinemaScore. Archived from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
  12. "Night at the Museum". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  13. "Night at the Museum". metacritic.com. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  14. "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  15. "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian". metacritic.com. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  16. "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  17. "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb". metacritic.com. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  18. "Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again". Rotten Tomatoes . Retrieved December 11, 2022.
  19. IGN Staff (May 13, 2009). "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian Available at Retail". IGN . Ziff Davis . Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  20. VanOrd, Kevin (May 5, 2009). "Night at the Museum[Battle of the Smithsonian] Review (Wii)". GameSpot . Red Ventures. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  21. 1 2 Young Artists of America (March 28, 2020). "Talk Back with Alan Menken (2020)". YouTube . Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  22. Carras, Christi (September 11, 2020). "'Night at the Museum' director teases another sequel — and a Broadway musical". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved November 23, 2021.