Dwayne Johnson Reportedly in Talks to Return as The Scorpion King

It looks like The Scorpion King might be rising again, and Dwayne Johnson could be stepping back into the role that helped kickstart his movie career. According to a new report from scooper @MyTimeToShineH, “The Rock is in talks to return as the Scorpion King.”

This would mark a full-circle moment for Johnson, who first played the character Mathayus in The Mummy Returns back in 2001. That brief but memorable appearance introduced fans to the warrior-turned-king, paving the way for his 2002 spin-off film The Scorpion King.

While it wasn’t a critical hit, the movie pulled in nearly $179 million worldwide on a $60 million budget, proving Johnson had serious star power beyond the wrestling ring.

There were early talks for a sequel featuring Johnson, but the project stalled. Instead, the franchise continued in a string of direct-to-video releases like The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior (starring Michael Copon), The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption and The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power (both starring Victor Webster), and finally Scorpion King: Book of Souls in 2018 with Zach McGowan. None of those captured the same energy or impact as Johnson’s original portrayal.

In 2020, word broke that Johnson would produce a reboot, a modern reimagining of The Scorpion King story. Now, if this new report is accurate, it sounds like he might not just be behind the camera this time, but right back in the armor.

Director Stephen Sommers, who helmed The Mummy Returns, once reflected on casting Johnson in the role that changed his life.

“He was great. I had never heard of the guy, but then they sent me some footage of him, and he was just perfect,” Sommers recalled. “I had to shoot so fast with him because he flew into Marrakesh on Wednesday, and he had to be in Detroit for a WWE thing on Saturday.”

“But boy, was he a trooper. As soon as the studio saw the dailies, the president of Universal was calling me up and saying, ‘You got to write a movie for him.’ Somehow over the next week or so, I came up with this idea that became the Scorpion King movie.”

Johnson’s return to The Scorpion King would come at an interesting time in his career. Following some box office misfires, he’s been working to redefine himself with more serious, dramatic roles, including his performance in The Smashing Machine. But he hasn’t completely turned away from action blockbusters either, with another Jumanji sequel set to film next year.

With recent rumblings that The Mummy 4 might also be in development with Brendan Fraser, it’s possible that Universal is looking to revive the entire Mummy cinematic universe, something fans would no doubt welcome.

If Johnson truly does return as Mathayus, it could reignite one of the most nostalgic and fun adventure franchises of the early 2000s. It could be fun seeing The Rock back in desert in warrior mode.