Here's the chronological and release order of Universal Classic Monsters franchise lasted all the way to the 1950s, with the Creature from the Black Lagoon and its sequels marking the original ending of the cycle. Many of these early films are still considered classics but attempts to revive the brand - such as 2010's The Wolfman or the "Dark Universe" - have often led to nothing.
Easily the biggest modern-day success for the Universal Monsters line-up was 1999's The Mummy. This was originally developed through the '90s as an R-rated horror movie with the likes of Clive Barker and George A. Romero developing it. Director Stephen Sommers' pitched a more blockbuster-friendly take that blended horror with adventure. This fusion resulted in a surprise hit for Universal. Not only did it spawn two direct sequels, the cameo appearance by WWE wrestler The Mummy Returns saw the studio build a spin-off around his villain.
Johnson fronted The Scorpion King in 2002, marking his first leading role. The actor skipped out on its sequels, however, which all went straight to DVD. That means The Mummy and its spin-off Scorpion King saga comprises eight movies in total.
The Mummy & Scorpion King Movies In Release Order
The first Scorpion King was rushed into production to capitalize on The Rock's well-received - in of acting, not for the CGI monster he turns into - turn in The Mummy Returns. While there were once plans to continue The Mummy saga beyond the third movie, that was scrapped in favor of the "Dark Universe" reboot The Mummy. That 2017 Tom Cruise blockbuster didn't click with viewers so future movies didn't happen. Even with this reboot taking the series in another direction, The Scorpion King movies were still ongoing, running until 2018.
The Mummy (1999)
The Mummy Returns (2001)
The Scorpion King (2002)
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)
The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior (2008)
The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption (2012)
The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power (2015)
The Scorpion King: Book of Souls (2018)
The Mummy & Scorpion King Movies In Chronological Order
Watching The Mummy and The Scorpion King franchises in the correct timeline chronology requires some mathematics. The Scorpion King itself is a prequel charting the origin story of Johnson's titular warrior, but with the actor busy elsewhere, it was decided to recast him with a younger actor for the prequel Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior. That means the latter film is a prequel to a spin-off to a sequel to a remake. Adding to the confusion, The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption - which co-starred Dave Bautista and Billy Zane - and its subsequent follow-ups are sequels to 2002's Scorpion King. Here's the correct Mummy timeline chronology.
The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior (2008)
The Scorpion King (2002)
The Scorpion King 3: Battle for Redemption (2012)
The Scorpion King 4: Quest for Power (2015)
The Scorpion King: Book of Souls (2018)
The Mummy (1999)
The Mummy Returns (2001)
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008)
