Why Dwayne Johnson didn’t return for The Scorpion King 2

Despite achieving mainstream success in the franchise’s first installment, Dwayne Johnson did not return for The Scorpion King 2. Johnson made his film debut as Mathayus of Akkad, also known as “The Scorpion King“, the main villain in 2001 The Return of the Mummy; the film’s box office success led to its Universal release The Scorpion King in 2002, with Johnson receiving his first leading role as the legendary warrior.

With Johnson at the helm of The Scorpion King cast, the film explores Mathayus’ origins as a desert warrior seeking revenge for the murder of his father and the destruction of his home. Although the film received a mixed critical reception, it was a financial success and saw the release of four sequels in The Scorpion King franchise. The Scorpion King helped establish Dwayne Johnson as a leading actorbut he ultimately decided not to reprise his role in the sequels.

The Scorpion King 2 is a prequel and Dwayne Johnson refused a cameo

The Scorpion King 2 explores Mathayus’ family and his father’s death

The Scorpion King takes place more than 5,000 years before the events of The mummy franchise and explores the life of Mathayus, one of the last surviving Acadians, who finds himself embroiled in a deadly battle for survival. The film received a lukewarm response from critics, but Dwayne Johnson received a lot of praise for his action skills and performancewith some calling it the highlight of the film. According to CNETJohnson was paid $5.5 million for the role, which set a Guinness World Record for the highest salary for a first-time leading actor.

The success of The Scorpion King led Universal to greenlight a sequel, which was released direct-to-video in 2008. The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior analyzes Mathayus’ attempts to seek revenge for his father’s murder. Put SlashfilmJohnson had the opportunity to appear in The Scorpion King 2; In contrast to his main role in the first part, he would have a small cameo appearance. However, by the time of the sequel’s production, Johnson was already committed to other films, including The Game Plan and Tales from Southlandand decided not to accept the special participation.

Mathayus was played by five actors in the Scorpion King films

Five films were released between 2002 and 2018

After the release of The Scorpion King in 2002, Universal Studios expanded the franchisereleasing four sequels, all released directly to video. After Johnson decided not to return to Rise of a Warriorthe role of Mathayus was played by actor Michael Canon; Upon release in 2008, the film received a mixed critical reception, but Canon received praise for his performance, with Kung Fu Cinema citing his performance as what kept the film entertaining.

Canadian actor Victor Webster was cast as Mathayus in Battle for Redemption, launched in 2012; it received negative reviews for its plot, effects and acting. Despite the negative reception, Webster reprized the role in the next installment, Search for powerin 2015, which is seen by many as the weakest film in the franchise. The fifth and final film, Book of Soulswas released in 2018, with Zach McGowan playing the demigod; the film was moderately well received and seen as the best sequel to the original 2002 film.

Is Dwayne Johnson Returning for The Scorpion King Reboot?

Dwayne Johnson will serve as producer of the reboot

In 2020, it was announced that a reboot of The Scorpion King the franchise was in development between Universal and Seven Bucks Productions. Dwayne Johnson is ready to return to the franchise, but instead of acting, he serves as a producer. According to Deadlinethe reboot will take place in modern times and offer a new look at the legendary Mathayus and his journey to become the Scorpion King. In 2021, it was confirmed by producer Hiram Garcia that The Scorpion King The reboot script draft has been completed.

As of 2024, there have been few additional updates in terms of The Scorpion King reboot production; there have been no casting announcements and a director has not yet been confirmed. Dwayne Johnson is also currently working on other projects, including the live-action adaptation of Moana, which means the reboot won’t be in theaters anytime soon. But although he chose not to appear in The Scorpion King 2his role in the upcoming reboot shows Johnson’s affection for the franchise that launched his film career.

Sources: CNET, Slashfilm, Kung Fu Cinema, Deadline