Dwayne Johnson and Brendan Fraser Reunite 24 Years After The Mummy Returns for a Can't-Miss Event
Twenty-four years after The Mummy Returns, Dwayne Johnson and Brendan Fraser are reuniting on screen for Variety’s Actors on Actors Season 23, headlining a newly revealed, star-packed lineup.
Two decades after one of the strangest blockbuster handoffs in recent memory (Brendan Fraser headlining while a then-newcomer Dwayne Johnson showed up as an ancient warrior rendered in early-2000s CGI), the two are teaming up again — not for a movie, but for a sit-down. And honestly, that might be even better.
Fraser x Johnson, 24 years later
Dwayne Johnson made his screen debut in 2001’s The Mummy Returns as Mathayus of Akkad, better known as the Scorpion King. Now, 24 years later, he and Brendan Fraser are reuniting for Variety’s Actors on Actors Season 23. Their episode drops Monday, December 8, 2025.
Where and when to watch
Each episode premieres first on CNN at 9 a.m. ET, then hits Variety’s YouTube at 3 p.m. ET the same day. There’s also a print component — the annual Actors on Actors magazine issue, shot by Alexi Lubomirski, lands December 17. This is the first season under a new CNN x Variety release partnership, so the rollout is a little different than past years.
Complete Season 23 lineup and dates
- Dec 05: Ariana Grande and Adam Sandler
- Dec 06: Julia Roberts and Sean Penn
- Dec 07: Jonathan Bailey and David Corenswet
- Dec 08: Dwayne Johnson and Brendan Fraser
- Dec 09: Gwyneth Paltrow and Jacob Elordi
- Dec 10: Cynthia Erivo and Hugh Jackman
- Dec 11: Sydney Sweeney and Ethan Hawke
- Dec 12: Stellan Skarsgard and Alexander Skarsgard
- Dec 13: Michael B. Jordan and Jesse Plemons
- Dec 14: Kate Hudson and Jeremy Allen White
- Dec 15: Oscar Isaac and Teyana Taylor
- Dec 16: Colin Farrell and Jessie Buckley
- Dec 17: Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio
Why this pairing matters
Johnson has been pretty open about how Fraser treated him during that first big job. On Jason and Travis Kelce’s New Heights podcast, he looked back at joining what was, at the time, Fraser’s franchise. He admits that if Fraser had decided he didn’t want an ex-wrestler in the mix, things could have gone very differently.
"[Fraser] embraced me. I love that man for that, and he helped kick off my career."
Short version: this reunion is more than nostalgia. There’s real history here, and it’s the good kind.
So... is The Mummy 4 happening, and is The Rock in it?
Recent reports say Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz are set to return for a fourth Mummy movie. The tricky part: it’s being described as not a sequel, while also picking up after the events of The Mummy Returns. Translation: it sounds like it ignores the later detours and connects back to the Fraser era, even if the word "sequel" is being carefully avoided.
As for Johnson coming back as the Scorpion King in that movie — don’t bank on it. The expectation right now is that he’s unlikely to appear. That said, a well-known online scooper, @MyTimeToShineH, claimed in October that Johnson has been in talks. File that under unconfirmed until someone official says it out loud.
The Scorpion King corner of the universe, in one breath
After The Mummy Returns, Johnson spun off into The Scorpion King (2002) as his first leading role. A planned direct sequel with him didn’t happen; instead, the series continued with The Scorpion King 2: Rise of a Warrior starring Michael Copon, followed by several more entries with different leads. In 2020, an untitled reboot was announced with Johnson and Hiram Garcia producing. The character just refuses to stay buried.
Where to rewatch
The Mummy and The Mummy Returns are streaming on MGM+ via Prime Video. Perfect warm-up before the Fraser/Johnson episode hits on December 8.