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Watch order

The Mummy movie watch order

Universal’s Mummy theatrical shelf—from Stephen Sommers’s Brendan Fraser trilogy era through Tom Cruise’s Dark Universe reboot and Lee Cronin’s upcoming horror reimagining. Release lists all six US premieres in order, including spin-off The Scorpion King (2002). Story is Fraser continuity only: ancient Scorpion King prologue → The Mummy (1999) → Returns → Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. 2017 and 2026 reboots stay Release-only. Adventure neighbors: Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean.

Updated August 2026

Release order

When each Mummy theatrical film opened in the US—from The Mummy (May 7, 1999) through the planned The Mummy (2026). Best first path: watch in premiere order so Sommers’s pulp-adventure tone, the 2002 spin-off, and later reboot branches land as Universal released them.

  • First watch → Release: all six US premieres in order
  • Fraser saga only → Story: Scorpion King → 1999 → Returns → Dragon Emperor
  • Skip reboots → Story tab covers the four-film Sommers shelf
  • 2017 / 2026 → standalone reboot lanes; not Fraser sequels
Story order tips

Brendan Fraser continuity—four films in in-fiction order: The Scorpion King (ancient Egypt prologue) → The Mummy (1999) → The Mummy Returns (2001) → Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008). Tom Cruise’s 2017 film and Lee Cronin’s 2026 reboot are separate lanes on Release only.

  • Ancient Egypt → The Scorpion King (Mathayus origin prologue)
  • 1926 → The Mummy (Rick and Evelyn vs. Imhotep)
  • 1933 → The Mummy Returns (Scorpion King mummy rises)
  • 1946 → Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (China and the Dragon Emperor)

Timeline

When each season premiered in the US. Expand a row for dates and where it fits in your watch order.

Release order

  1. The Mummy

    The Mummy

    TheatricalStreamingFraser sagaLive-action

    Stephen Sommers's 1999 blockbuster relaunches Universal's Mummy as rollicking pulp—Brendan Fraser's Rick O'Connell, Rachel Weisz's Evelyn, and Arnold Vosloo's Imhotep awaken terror at 1926 Hamunaptra. Horror-romance mix and ILM mummy craft invented the O'Connell grammar every Fraser sequel and spin-off still answers.

    Overview
    Pulp-adventure tone that turned Universal horror IP into a crowd-pleasing blockbuster lane. Correct first watch on Release so Rick and Evelyn still arrive as a discovery, not a known brand.
    Related games
    Franchise opener in theaters. Story continues into The Mummy Returns; Release continues into the same sequel second. Neighbors: Indiana Jones and Pirates of the Caribbean.
    Where it fits
    Start here on Release. On Story it sits second after the ancient Scorpion King prologue—do not skip the prologue on Story if you want Mathayus lore first.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release May 7, 1999 (Universal Pictures).
  2. The Mummy Returns

    The Mummy Returns

    TheatricalStreamingFraser sagaLive-action

    Sommers's 2001 sequel cranks dual mummy threats into globe-hopping family adventure—Alex inherits the map, Dwayne Johnson's Mathayus cameo seeds the Scorpion King spin-off, and spectacle peaks Sommers-era mythology. Second on Release; third on Story after ancient prologue and 1926 opener.

    Overview
    Franchise peak with dual mummy threats, expanded O'Connell mythology, and a prologue fight that retroactively seeds The Scorpion King theatrical spin-off.
    Related games
    Sets up Scorpion King on Release premiere order and ancient backstory on Story. Mathayus tease pays off in the spin-off film theaters played third.
    Where it fits
    Watch after The Mummy (1999) on both tabs. Required before Dragon Emperor on Story and before the 2002 spin-off on Release.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release May 4, 2001 (Universal Pictures).
  3. The Scorpion King

    The Scorpion King

    TheatricalStreamingSpin-offLive-action

    Chuck Russell's 2002 spin-off stars Dwayne Johnson as Mathayus—the desert warrior Returns teased before theaters packaged him as sword-and-sandal side quest. Third on Release as premiere-order spin-off; Story opens ancient Egypt centuries before Rick O'Connell's 1920s adventures.

    Overview
    First Mummy spin-off theatrical and Johnson's breakout action role—proof Universal could expand the brand beyond Rick and Evelyn in every frame.
    Related games
    Release-only placement differs from Story. Direct-to-video Scorpion King sequels stay off tracks; this is the one 2002 theatrical that ties to Fraser lore.
    Where it fits
    On Release, watch after Returns. On Story, the same film is first as ancient Egypt backstory—premiere year and story year diverge (FAQ).
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release April 19, 2002 (Universal Pictures).
  4. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

    The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

    TheatricalStreamingFraser sagaLive-action

    Rob Cohen's 2008 cap moves the O'Connells to China—Fraser's Rick and Maria Bello's Evelyn face Jet Li's Dragon Emperor and yeti cavalry in a colder martial-arts finale that closed Sommers-era theatrical run. Fourth on Release; Fraser Story endpoint before 2017 and 2026 reboot lanes on Release only.

    Overview
    Geography and tone shift from Egyptian pulp to Chinese emperor myth—closes the O'Connell theatrical arc without pretending a fourth Fraser chapter exists.
    Related games
    Story endpoint for Fraser canon. 2017 Cruise reboot and 2026 Cronin horror reimagining follow on Release only—not Fraser sequels.
    Where it fits
    Watch after Returns on Story. Last Fraser continuity film; 2017 Dark Universe and 2026 horror reboot are separate lanes on Release.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release August 1, 2008 (Universal Pictures).
  5. The Mummy

    The Mummy

    TheatricalStreamingRebootDark Universe

    Alex Kurtzman's 2017 Dark Universe launch recasts the Mummy with Tom Cruise, Sofia Boutella's Ahmanet, and Russell Crowe's Dr. Jekyll—modern action horror separate from Rick O'Connell's pulp lineage. Shared-monster pilot that stalled after one film; fifth on Release, not on Story.

    Overview
    Dark Universe shared-monster pilot that folded after one entry—Ahmanet and Prodigium tease a lane Universal never continued on screen.
    Related games
    Dark Universe branch only. Fraser Story ignores this row; MonsterVerse-style neighbors are FAQ links, not shared Mummy continuity.
    Where it fits
    Standalone reboot—do not watch between Fraser films on Story. Watch after the Fraser shelf on Release or skip as its own timeline.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release June 9, 2017 (Universal Pictures).
  6. The Mummy

    The Mummy

    TheatricalUpcomingRebootHorror

    Lee Cronin's planned 2026 horror reimagining positions Universal's Mummy as standalone fright lane—separate from Sommers, Cruise Dark Universe, and Fraser continuity. Sixth on Release only until premiere confirms; Fraser Story still ends at Dragon Emperor (2008).

    Overview
    Horror-forward reboot distinct from Sommers pulp and Dark Universe action—Cronin's lane treats the Mummy as dread, not wisecracks.
    Related games
    Upcoming Release row. Fraser Story endpoint remains Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (2008); do not insert this between Fraser chapters.
    Where it fits
    Treat as its own timeline—not a Fraser or 2017 sequel. Upcoming row; Story endpoint remains Dragon Emperor until a firm premiere lands.
    Premiere dates
    Planned US theatrical release June 5, 2026 (Universal Pictures)—date subject to studio change.

FAQ

Release vs Fraser Story order, Scorpion King on both tabs, 2017 Dark Universe reboot, 2026 horror reboot lane, and what stays off Story.

Watch order

Release follows US premiere order—The Scorpion King (2002) sits after Returns as a spin-off. Story moves Scorpion King to ancient Egypt first, then 1926 → 1933 → 1946 Fraser adventures. 2017 and 2026 reboots appear on Release only.

On Release, The Scorpion King (2002) is third—a spin-off after Returns. On Story, the same film is first as ancient Egypt backstory before Rick O’Connell. Direct-to-video Scorpion King sequels stay off both tracks.

Reboots & spin-offs

No. Tom Cruise’s The Mummy (2017) was a Dark Universe reboot with Ahmanet and Dr. Jekyll—fifth on Release, not on Story. Watch it after the Fraser shelf (or skip) as its own timeline.

What's included

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.