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| The Scorpion King | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Chuck Russell |
| Screenplay by | |
| Story by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | John R. Leonetti |
| Edited by |
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| Music by | John Debney |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release date |
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Running time | 92 minutes |
| Countries | United States Germany |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $60 million[2] |
| Box office | $178.8 million[2] |
The Scorpion King is a 2002action adventure film directed byChuck Russell. The film starsDwayne Johnson (credited as The Rock) as the lead, withSteven Brand,Kelly Hu,Grant Heslov, andMichael Clarke Duncan in supporting roles. It is both aprequel andspin-off ofThe Mummy franchise and launchedThe Scorpion King film series. The film was Johnson's first lead role. The film received mixed reviews and grossed $178.8 million worldwide against the production budget of $60 million.
The events ofThe Scorpion King take place 5,001 years before the events ofThe Mummy andThe Mummy Returns, revealing the origins ofMathayus and his rise to power as the Scorpion King. This name is a reference to a historical king of theProtodynastic Period of Egypt,King Scorpion. The film was released on April 19, 2002 byUniversal Pictures.
Before the time of thepyramids, a horde of warriors from the East, led by Memnon, conquers most of the local tribes. No tribe is willing to fight Memnon, as his sorceress Cassandra can foresee any attack.Mathayus, along with his half-brother Jesup and their friend Rama, are the only survivingAkkadians. The trio is hired by King Pheron of the free tribes to kill Cassandra.
The Akkadians sneak into Memnon's camp but are ambushed by guards, who were warned by Pheron's own son, Takmet, who had already betrayed and killed his father. Rama is killed and Jesup is captured. Mathayus finds Cassandra but spares her life before he is captured. After witnessing his brother's execution, Mathayus is buried up to his neck in the desert to be devoured by fire ants. He escapes with help from a fellow prisoner (the horse thief Arpid) and vows to avenge his brother by finishing the job.
Mathayus sneaks into Memnon's stronghold,Gomorrah, with the help of astreet urchin. Memnon's sympathetic court magician, Philos, helps direct Mathayus to the courtyard where Memnon is training. Mathayus' plan is interrupted, as he has to backtrack and rescue the urchin, and barely escapes Gomorrah. However, he abducts Cassandra along the way.
Memnon sends his warrior, Thorak, and a group of his men to retrieve Cassandra and kill Mathayus with scorpion venom. Mathayus leads Thorak and his battalion into a nearby cave during a sandstorm. Mathayus single-handedly kills Thorak and his men, but Thorak poisons him before succumbing to his wounds.
Cassandra cures Mathayus with her magic, believing that he is the world's best chance to kill Memnon and bring about peace. Although unsaid, Cassandra has secretly fallen in love with Mathayus since he had spared her and rescued her from Memnon, having been his prisoner since she was a child.
Mathayus, Arpid, and Cassandra find Philos, who has perfected an explosive powder. However, they are ambushed by the free tribes, who are now under the rule of theNubian King Balthazar. Mathayus defeats Balthazar in a fight and earns his reluctant respect and sanctuary, but Cassandra gives Mathayus two visions: one where Memnon and his army slaughter the entire rebel camp, and another where Mathayus dies facing Memnon. Mathayus reassures her that he will make his own destiny and the two have sex.
The next morning, Cassandra returns to Memnon plotting to kill him and prevent her visions. Memnon is determined to see if Cassandra has her vision, putting her to the test using sixurns (two of them empty) and fourcobras within the urns. Mathayus, with help from Balthazar, Arpid, Philos, and the army of rebels, launches an assault on Memnon's stronghold at the same time. Balthazar kills Takmet during the battle, avenging Pheron. The battle continues until a guard shoots Mathayus as predicted by Cassandra. As Memnon is about to claim victory, Cassandra kills the guard while Mathayus retrieves his bow and pulls the arrow from his back. He fires the arrow at the exhausted Memnon, sending him off the roof to his death. Philos and Arpid use the explosive powder to destroy the palace's foundation. With the battle over, the remnants of Memnon's army bow before Mathayus, who (by their law) is proclaimed the Scorpion King.
In the aftermath, Mathayus and Balthazar share a peaceful farewell as the latter returns to his kingdom. Cassandra warns Mathayus that this period of peace and prosperity is onlytemporary. Undeterred, Mathayus claims that he will continue to make his own destiny.
The production ofThe Scorpion King began as a spin-off ofThe Mummy Returns (2001), centering on the character Mathayus, portrayed byDwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Recognizing the character's popularity,Universal Pictures decided to develop an origin story set in a distinct historical era, aiming to expandThe Mummy franchise. The film marked Johnson's first lead role in a feature film, where he reprised the titular character introduced inThe Mummy Returns. Johnson was paid $5.5 million for his performance, setting a record for the highest salary paid to a first-time lead actor,[3] a substantial increase from the $500,000 he earned for his brief role in the preceding film.[4]
Produced on a budget of $60 million, the film was positioned as a major action release for Universal Pictures. Recognizing Johnson's global popularity as a professional wrestler, the studio adopted an international release strategy, launching the film simultaneously in 11 overseas markets. Johnson's established appeal in over 130 countries was a key factor in the production's global marketing efforts.[4]
The film was released on April 19, 2002, in the United States and Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Ireland, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.[5][6]
The Scorpion King was released onDVD andVHS on October 1, 2002.[7] It was released onBlu-ray on July 22, 2008, and was one of the first Universal titles released on the format.[8]The Scorpion King was released on4K on June 18, 2019.[9]
The film inspired two video games:The Scorpion King: Rise of the Akkadian for theNintendoGameCube and thePlayStation 2, which was a prequel to the film's events, and a sequel,The Scorpion King: Sword of Osiris, for theGame Boy Advance, in which Cassandra is abducted by the ruthless sorcerer Menthu and his lackey, the witch Isis (not to be confused with Queen Isis from the film), prompting Mathayus to undergo a quest to uncover the legendary Sword of Osiris to defeat Menthu and Isis and rescue Cassandra.
The Scorpion King grossed $12,553,380 on its opening day and $36,075,875 in total over the weekend, from 3,444 theaters in the United States and Canada for an average of $10,475 per venue, ranking atnumber one at the US box office. The film had the largest April opening weekend at that time, beatingThe Matrix.[10] This record would only last for a year before being surpassed byAnger Management in 2003.[11] Internationally, it grossed $10 million in its first five days from 1,097 screens, and was number one in nine of the 11 territories it opened in, including setting a record non-holiday opening in Singapore with a gross of $591,000.[5][6] Grosses in the United States and Canada dropped 50 percent in the second weekend, but the film remained at number one, grossing another $18,038,270. Internationally, it expanded to 35 markets and grossed $12 million.[12] The film closed on June 27, 2002, with a total domestic gross of $91,047,077, and an additional $87,752,231 internationally, for a total worldwide gross of $178,799,308, against a budget of $60 million, making it a moderate box office success.[2]
The Scorpion King holds a 40% approval rating onRotten Tomatoes, based on 135 reviews, with an average rating of 4.9/10. The site's critical consensus states, "Action adventure doesn't get much cheesier thanThe Scorpion King."[13]Metacritic gave the film a weighted average score of 45 out of 100, based on 30 reviews.[14] Audiences polled byCinemaScore gave the film an average grade of B, on a scale of A+ to F.[15]
Roger Ebert, film critic of theChicago Sun-Times, gave the film 3 out of 4 stars, writing "Here is a movie that embraces its goofiness like a Get Out of Jail Free card. The plot is recycled out of previous recycling jobs, the special effects are bad enough that you can grin at them, and the dialogue sounds like the pre-Pyramidal desert warriors are channeling aFox sitcom... For its target audience, looking for a few laughs, martial arts and stuff that blows up real good, it will be exactly what they expected. It has high energy, the action never stops, the dialogue knows it's funny, and The Rock has the authority to play the role and the fortitude to keep a straight face. I expect him to become a durable action star."[16]
James Berardinelli ofReelViews gave the film two stars (out of four), saying: "It's possible to make an engaging action/adventure picture of this sort, butThe Scorpion King isn't it."[17]Dennis Harvey ofVariety gave a positive review, saying the film "rouses excitement mostly from stuntwork and [actors'] agility rather than CGI excess."[18] Nathan Rabin ofThe Onion'sA.V. Club gave the film a mildly positive review, calling it "prototypical summer-movie fare, designed to be consumed, enjoyed, and forgotten all at once."[19]Owen Gleiberman ofEntertainment Weekly gave the film a score of C+, calling it "plodding and obvious" but adding that The Rock "holds it together."[20]Jonathan Foreman of theNew York Post gave a negative review, saying thatThe Scorpion King "has none of the qualities—epic sweep, relative originality and heartfelt bloodthirstiness—that madeConan so trashily entertaining."[21]
The film was nominated forBest Fantasy Film at theSaturn Awards but lost toThe Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (also starredBernard Hill).
The Scorpion King blends historical inspiration with imaginative storytelling, resulting in a fictionalized portrayal of ancient Egypt. While the film draws from mythological and historical elements, it prioritizes adventure and fantasy over historical accuracy.[22]
The character Mathayus, played by Dwayne Johnson, is loosely inspired by King Scorpion, a ruler from ancient Egypt'sPredynastic Period. King Scorpion is believed to have played a key role in consolidating power in southern Egypt before the unification ofUpper and Lower Egypt, which marked the beginning of theFirst Dynastic Period (3150–2613 BCE).[22] Some historians associate King Scorpion with KingNarmer, credited with uniting Egypt, though this connection remains speculative. Archaeological findings, such as the Scorpion Tableau discovered atGebel Tjauti in 1995, provide evidence of King Scorpion's existence.[23] The film's story of uniting Egypt's tribes echoes Narmer's historical unification of Upper and Lower Egypt but remains largely fictional, prioritizing myth and adventure.[22]
In the film, Mathayus is depicted as an Akkadian assassin tasked with defeating Memnon, a tyrant attempting to control the fragmented tribes of Egypt. This portrayal significantly diverges from historical accounts of King Scorpion. While the historical figure's association with scorpions comes from depictions on artifacts like theNarmer Palette, the film invents a fictional backstory involving scorpion venom to symbolize Mathayus's connection to the creature.[22]
Other elements in the film are entirely fictional. Cassandra, a sorceress with prophetic powers, and Memnon, the primary antagonist, have no historical counterparts. While ancient Egyptian rulers are known to have consultedoracles, Cassandra's supernatural abilities were created to enhance the film's fantasy elements. Similarly, there is no historical evidence of a ruler named Memnon opposing King Scorpion.[22]
Director Chuck Russell acknowledged that the film prioritized visual appeal over historical accuracy.[24] Modern elements, such asbikini waxing for characters, were included to enhance aesthetics, aligning with some ancient Egyptian grooming practices. Egyptians often wore transparent clothing suited to the climate and removed body hair using methods such as plucking, though specific details remain uncertain.[24]
The release ofThe Scorpion King coincided with increased public interest in the historical King Scorpion. This was further fueled by theHistory Channel documentaryThe Real Scorpion King, which aired in April 2002. A spokesperson for Universal Pictures clarified that the film's story was unrelated to the historical King Scorpion or archaeological discoveries.[23]
| The Scorpion King | |
|---|---|
| Soundtrack album by Various artists | |
| Released | March 26, 2002 |
| Genre | |
| Length | 1:00:41 |
| Label | Universal |
| Producer | Various artists |
| Singles from The Scorpion King | |
| |
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   [25] |
The soundtrack toThe Scorpion King was released on March 26, 2002, just before the film. It contains tracks from various bands performing either previously released tracks or their B-sides. The album has been certified Gold by theRIAA.[26]
The 14-track score for the film, composed byJohn Debney, was released separately.[27]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "I Stand Alone" (Godsmack) | Sully Erna |
| 4:05 |
| 2. | "Set It Off (Tweaker remix)" (P.O.D.) | P.O.D. | 4:10 | |
| 3. | "Break You" (Drowning Pool) | Drowning Pool | Jay Baumgardner | 2:48 |
| 4. | "Streamline" (System of a Down) | Rick Rubin | 3:36 | |
| 5. | "To Whom It May Concern" (Creed) | John Kurzweg | 5:09 | |
| 6. | "Yanking Out My Heart" (Nickelback) |
|
| 3:35 |
| 7. | "Losing My Grip" (Hoobastank) |
| Jim Wirt | 3:55 |
| 8. | "Only the Strong" (Flaw) |
| Bottrill | 4:17 |
| 9. | "Iron Head" (Rob Zombie featuringOzzy Osbourne) |
|
| 4:10 |
| 10. | "My Life" (12 Stones) | 12 Stones |
| 3:03 |
| 11. | "Along the Way" (Mushroomhead) |
| 3:17 | |
| 12. | "Breathless" (Lifer) | Alex Lifeson | 4:04 | |
| 13. | "Corrected" (Sevendust) |
| 4:31 | |
| 14. | "Burn It Black" (Injected) | Injected | Butch Walker | 2:42 |
| 15. | "27" (Breaking Point) |
| 3:38 | |
| 16. | "Glow" (Coal Chamber) | Ross Hogarth | 3:06 | |
| Total length: | 1:00:41 | |||
Notes
| Chart (2002) | Position |
|---|---|
| Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[28] | 18 |
| Canadian Albums (Billboard)[29] | 12 |
| German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[30] | 38 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[31] | 25 |
| Chart (2002) | Position |
|---|---|
| Canadian Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)[32] | 160 |
| Canadian Alternative Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)[33] | 52 |
| Canadian Metal Albums (Nielsen SoundScan)[34] | 26 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[35] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
Following the film's release, there were plans for a sequel with Johnson to return as Mathayus and go up against a new villain, Sargon, but these plans eventually fell through and the project was shelved. A direct-to-video prequel,The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior, was released in 2008 withMichael Copon as Mathayus andRandy Couture as Sargon.
A sequel,The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption, was released in 2012 withVictor Webster as Mathayus andBilly Zane as the villain, King Talus. The fourth film in the franchise,The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power, was released in 2015. Webster reprised his role, whileMichael Biehn,Rutger Hauer,Lou Ferrigno, and formerWWE wrestlerEve Torres joined the cast.[36]Will Kemp portrayed the villain, Drazen.
A fifth and final film,Scorpion King: Book of Souls, was released in 2018.Zach McGowan played Mathayus, whilePeter Mensah portrayed the villain, Nebserek.
In November 2020, a reboot ofThe Scorpion King film series was announced to be in development.Jonathan Herman will serve as screenwriter, with the plot taking place in the modern-day, involving a contemporary adaptation of theMathayus of Akkad / Scorpion King character.Dwayne Johnson will serve as producer alongside Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia. The project will be a joint-venture production between Universal Pictures andSeven Bucks Productions.[37] Hiram Garcia later gave an update on it a year later saying it was still in development.[38]
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