Many millennia ago (okay, 2001, but it can feel like it), Dwayne Johnson – then still more known as The Rock – launched on to the big screen as the Scorpion King in The Mummy Returns. The effects were not great, but Johnson made enough of an impact for Universal to make him the star of a prequel spin-off called, unsurprisingly, The Scorpion King. And now the wheel has turned full circle, with Johnson on to produce a reboot of that very spin-off.
Straight Outta Compton's Jonathan Herman is writing the script for the film, which will put its own spin on the story of Mathayus, a desert warrior who rises up against the evil that is destroying his homeland, with Deadline reporting that it'll be set in contemporary times. Yet while Johnson starred originally, he's a little busy with his many current movies and business dealings, so while he may show up on screen, he, his Seven Bucks production team and Universal will be looking for someone new to take the lead.
"The Scorpion King was my very first role ever on the silver screen and I’m honored and excited to reimagine and deliver this cool mythology to a whole new generation,” Johnson tells Deadline. "I wouldn’t have had the career I’m lucky enough to have had it not been for The Scorpion King and I’m thrilled that we at Seven Bucks Productions can help create those same opportunities for other hardworking actors today. I believe Jonathan Herman will put in the hard work to deliver a fantastic script for our global audience."