Synopsis

In 1920s Egypt, adventurer Rick O'Connell joins librarian Evelyn Carnahan and her brother Jonathan on an expedition to the lost city of Hamunaptra. Their discovery awakens Imhotep, an ancient high priest condemned to eternal undeath. As Imhotep unleashes supernatural disasters and seeks to resurrect his lost love, the explorers must find a way to stop him before Egypt is overwhelmed.

Factoids & Trivia

• The film is a loose remake of Universal's 1932 horror film The Mummy, but it shifts the emphasis from gothic horror to fast-paced action-adventure.

• Principal photography began in Morocco on May 4, 1998, and continued for 17 weeks. Marrakesh stood in for 1920s Cairo, while the Sahara desert near Erfoud was used for the exterior ruins of Hamunaptra.

• The production built the Hamunaptra exteriors inside Gara Medouar, a horseshoe-shaped geological formation near Erfoud. Concrete access ramps were constructed so large sets and equipment could be brought into the location.

• Industrial Light & Magic created more than 140 visual-effects shots for the film. The studio began developing Imhotep's digital appearance before filming started.

• The collapsing library sequence was filmed in one take because resetting the set would have required an entire day.

• A hanging scene nearly resulted in a serious accident when the performer playing Rick stopped breathing and had to be revived.

• The film reportedly spent about $15 million on visual effects, a substantial portion of its approximately $80 million production budget.

• The Mummy became a major commercial success, earning more than $400 million worldwide and leading to the sequel The Mummy Returns in 2001.