This movie is a prequel to a sequel (The Mummy Returns) to a movie (The Mummy) that was a re-make of another movie (The Mummy) that was made 70 years prior.
Dwayne Johnson has said that he intentionally shied away from using any trademarks of his WWF character The Rock, in order to give the Scorpion King character a life of its own. The only exception was "The People's Eyebrow," which he does in response to another character's reference to a harem. He said he included the People's Eyebrow to acknowledge the "millions and millions" of Rock fans. However, The Rock's Entry music is included briefly in the score.
While filming the fight scene between Mathayus and Balthazar, Michael Clarke Duncan accidentally leaned too far forward, allowing Dwayne Johnson's elbow to make direct contact with his jaw, knocking him to the ground.
Early in the production the villain role was written for Yun-Fat Chow. But Chow's manager Terence Chang vetoed this saying that Chow never plays villains and that doing so would betray his fans.
Director Chuck Russell wanted to incorporate a physical feat into the movie which only The Rock (Dwayne Johnson) could perform. That is why there is a scene where the Rock springs to his feet from a position where he is lying on his back. Russell said that he had never seen a 6'3" man do that.