
Actress Rachel Weisz who played 'Evelyn Carnahan', will not be returning to the franchise.
Rob Cohen will direct the film beginning in late summer in China, before shooting CG in Montreal.
Actor Jet Li is also confirmed to play a 'villain'.
Screenplay is by "Smallville" creators Miles Millar and Alfred Gough.
Although a tentative summer 2008 release is planned, Universal is reportedly waiting to greenlight the project dependent on another script draft by Millar and Gough who must write out Weisz' character.

Stephen Sommers, Sean Daniel, Jim Jacks and Bob Ducsay are producing.