Dark Universe: Johnny Depp and Javier Bardem join Tom Cruise in Universal's monster movie franchise

Universal has announced more details about its upcoming monster movie franchise, branded 'Dark Universe,' while confirming fresh casting details.

The planned series is set to kick off next month with The Mummy spearheaded by Tom Cruise, but the studio has confirmed the next title on the agenda will be Bride of Frankenstein which is scheduled to arrive on 14 February 2019 under the guidance of Bill Condon who recently directed Disney's live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast.

While the titular bride is yet to be cast, Frankenstein's monster himself will be played by Pirates of the Caribbean 5 villain Javier Bardem.

Bardem's Pirates 5 co-star Johnny Depp - whose on-set behaviour was the subject of a recent THR article - has also joined the universe as the legendary Invisible Man, the H.G. Wells-created character who was first brought to the screen by Claude Rains in 1933.

Russell Crowe and Star Trek Beyond star Sofia Boutella round out the main cast as Dr. Jekyll and the Mummy, respectively.

The films will all be connected via a “mysterious, multi-national organisation” known as Prodigium that will be led by Crowe's character.

The Mummy, which is directed by Alex Kurtzman, will be released 9 June.