The Mummy Returns is a 2001 American action-adventure film written and directed by Stephen Sommers. It is the sequel to the 1999 film The Mummy, and the second in The Mummy film series. Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, Oded Fehr, and Patricia Velásquez reprise their roles from the previous film, with Dwayne Johnson (credited under his ring name "The Rock") joining the cast in his film acting debut. The film was released in the United States on May 4, 2001, by Universal Pictures.