By
Michael Shaffer
, Hollywood.com Staff
|
Wednesday, September 27, 2000
HOLLYWOOD - Wrestling superstar the Rock is set to star in Universal Pictures' The Scorpion King, a spin-off of his character in the studio's upcoming The Mummy Returns, which is a sequel to the 1999 blockbuster hit, The Mummy.
The Rock (real name, Duane Johnson), will receive about $5 million for Scorpion. The original Mummy team of Jim Jacks, Sean Daniel and Stephen Sommers, along with World Wrestling Federation owners Vince and Linda McMahon, will produce the film.
Scorpion, written by Jonathan Hales (Star Wars: Episode II), centers on how the Scorpion King came to conquer Egypt. The character starts as a heroic peasant who defeats his enemies and rescues his kidnapped girlfriend, overcoming huge obstacles to become the first pharaoh of Egypt. Shooting is scheduled to start in March, with a first draft of the script expected next month.
Jacks and Daniel recently completed post-production on The Mummy Returns, scheduled for a May release.
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