The Mummy Returns is a 2001 American adventure horror film,[2] written and directed by Stephen Sommers, starring Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr, Patricia Velásquez, and Dwayne Johnson. The film is a sequel to the 1999 film The Mummy. It was distributed by Universal Pictures. The Mummy Returns inspired the 2002 prequel film The Scorpion King, a spin-off that is set 5,000 years prior and whose eponymous character, played by Dwayne Johnson (The Rock), was introduced in this film. The Mummy Returns was a commercial success despite mixed reviews. It was followed by the 2008 sequel The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.