In which 2001 movie did Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson play the character of the Scorpion King?

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson played the Scorpion King in the 2001 film The Mummy Returns.

The character is Mathayus of Akkad, an ancient warrior who becomes the supernatural Scorpion King after making a pact with Anubis, the Egyptian god associated with the dead. In the film's story, Mathayus sells his soul in exchange for the power to defeat his enemies, transforming him into a formidable servant of Anubis.

The Mummy Returns was Johnson's film acting debut and marked his transition from one of professional wrestling's biggest stars into a major Hollywood action performer. He appears alongside Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, Arnold Vosloo, and John Hannah. The film was released as a sequel to 1999's The Mummy.

A frequent mix-up is naming The Scorpion King, the 2002 spin-off, as the answer. That movie gave Johnson his first starring role as Mathayus, but the character first appeared in The Mummy Returns. The sequel's success directly helped launch the spin-off film series.