"THE MUMMY"
by
Stephen Sommers
The UNIVERSAL PICTURES globe spins. Then comes to a stop on
the African continent. A golden papyrus MAP of ANCIENT EGYPT
rises up. WE PUSH IN on it, towards a CITY along the Nile,
it's name written in hierarchic. WE KEEP PUSHING IN until
the golden map turns to golden sand and we find ourselves
DESCENDING on this ancient Egyptian city. Only it's not
ancient.
SUPERIMPOSED across the SCREEN are the WORDS.
THEBES - 2,134 B.C
Accompanied by a NARRATOR with a very thick Egyptian accent:
NARRATOR
Thebes. City of the Living. Crown
jewel of Pharaoh Seti the First.
The CAMERA sets-down in an open plaza. An Arabian horse-drawn
CHARIOT comes barreling right at us, driven by PHARAOH SETI;
an aristocratic, virile old man. The chariot WIPES FRAME.
INT. ANCK-SU-NAMUN'S BALCONY WINDOW - PALACE - DUSK
Glaring out over the city at the setting sun is a handsome,
muscular MAN with intense, evil eyes. This is IMHOTEP.
NARRATOR
Home of Imhotep, High Priest of
Osiris, Keeper of the Dead.
A gorgeous, olive-skinned goddess enters the outer foyer. It
takes us a moment to realize that the skin-tight dress she's
wearing isn't a dress at all, but rather her entire naked
body has been PAINTED in the ancient Egyptian manner She's a
stunning sight to behold. This is ANCK-SU-NAMUN.
NARRATOR
Birthplace of Anck-su-namun. Pharaoh's
Mistress. No other man was allowed
to touch her.
She makes her way through the ornate statuary. The CAMERA
comes to a stop on a CRACKED STONE FACE. A BEAT. And then
it's eyes suddenly POP OPEN. It's really a strange looking
TATTOOED MAN. Several more of these hideous, bald MEN stand
nearby. They are the PRIESTS of Osiris. Imhotep's guys. Their
eyes watch Anck-su-namun vanish through the bedroom curtains.
Anck-su-namun embraces Imhotep, they kiss passionately,
feverishly. Imhotep's hands roam over her perfect body,
smearing the paint. The Narrator's VOICE fills with lust:
NARRATOR
But for our love, we were willing to
risk life itself.
And we realize that the Narrator is actually Imhotep himself
on the other-side of the curtains, the bald Priests rush
over and close the doors. But just as they do, the doors
suddenly BURST OPEN. Pharaoh angrily strides in, looks at
the Priests. The following DIALOGUE is in ANCIENT EGYPTIAN, --
SUBTITLED.
PHARAOH
What are you doing here?
The Priests back away, scared shitless, obviously his arrival
was unexpected. Pharaoh strides for the curtains. Throws
them back.
Anck-su-namun stands alone. Gives him a sexy smile. Pharaoh
sees the smeared body paint. Points his finger.
PHARAOH
WHO HAS TOUCHED YOU?!
From behind him, his sword is ripped out of its scabbard.
Pharaoh spins around. It's Imhotep. Pharaoh is shocked.
PHARAOH
Imhotep?... My priest.
Behind him, Anck-su-namun lifts a dagger and plunges it into
his back.
Pharaoh SCREAMS. Imhotep raises Pharaoh's sword. The hideous
bald Priests SLAM the doors and bolt them tight. Through the
curtains, they see the SHADOWS of Anck-su-namun and Imhotep
stab away at Pharaoh. Suddenly, the doors are RAMMED from
the other side, --WHAM! Imhotep and Anck-su-namun turn and
look. --WHAM! The doors are RAMMED again. The two lovers
share desperate looks. --WHAM! The bald Priests run up and
grab Imhotep and try and pull him towards the balcony.
PRIESTS
Pharaoh's bodyguards!
Imhotep tries to break free, but Anck-su-namun rips Pharaoh's
sword out of his hand and pushes him towards the balcony.
ANCK-SU-NAMUN
You must go. Save yourself. Only you
can resurrect me.
Imhotep's face fills with despair. The DOORS EXPLODE OPEN.
MEN with BLUE-TINTED SKIN and strange PUZZLE-TATTOOS over
their bodies stride in, armed to the teeth. These are the
MUMIA. The Priests hustle Imhotep out onto the dark balcony
just as the Mumia rip through the curtains.
Anck-su-namun points at Pharaoh and hisses --
ANCK-SU-NAMUN
My body is no longer his temple!
She PLUNGES the sword into her own heart. Out on the balcony,
Imhotep's mouth opens into a horrible silent scream...
NARRATOR/IMHOTEP
For murdering Pharaoh, Anck-su-namun's
body was to be cursed. And it was I,
the High Priest, whose duty it was
to curse it.
EXT. SAND DUNES - NIGHT
Imhotep leads-a TORCH-LIT procession across the dunes. Anck-
su-namun's mummy is carried by NUBIAN SLAVES. They put her
down in the sand along with FIVE JEWEL ENCRUSTED JARS.
IMHOTEP
Her body was mummified, her vital
organs removed and placed in sacred
canopic jars.
Imhotep, filled with dread, reads from a OBOOKO made out of
pure GOLD. THIS IS THE BOOK OF THE LIVING.
IMHOTEP
The Book of The Living contained
sacred incantations that would send
the evil dead on a journey into the
dark underworld.
Strange LIGHT suddenly FLASHES across the faces of the slaves
and the EGYPTIAN SOLDIERS. Suddenly, everyone's fear-filled
eyes all rise, as if watching Anck-su-namun's body rising.
Then one last HUGE FLASH, accompanied by a BLAST OF WIND,
and it's over. Anck-su-namun's body now lies twisted on the
ground.
Imhotep's Priests place the body into a stone sarcophagus.
The Nubian slaves lower it into a hole and bury it with sand.
Imhotep then signals to the Soldiers, who throw their spears
at the Nubians. Killing them.
IMHOTEP
The slaves were killed...
Imhotep's knife-wielding Priests attack the now unarmed
Soldiers, hacking at them in the flickering darkness as
Imhotep and the Mumia solemnly watches.
IMHOTEP
...and the soldiers who killed them
were also slain, so that no unholy
person should ever know the exact
location of the burial site.
The Mumia walk off across the sand and then, one by one, the
Priests stop their frenzied stabbing and stare off at the
vanishing Mumia. As the last Mumia disappears over a distant
dune, Imhotep nods, and the Priests leap onto Anck-su-namun's
grave and begin digging it back up with their hands.
EXT. SAHARA DESERT - NIGHT
CHARIOTS race out into the moonlit desert. Imhotep leads the
way. A "hearse" carries Anck-su-namun's mummy. THE MAP OF
ANCIENT EGYPT FADES UP. The chariots race across the map.
IMHOTEP
But there was another book, The Book
Of The Dead, which was never to be
opened, never to be read, for it
contained the incantations that could
bring a dead body back to life a
most unholy thing.
The chariots arrive at a place marked on the map in hieratic.
They race up the stone ramp and in through the city gates.
SUPERIMPOSED across the SCREEN are the WORDS:
HAMUNAPTRA - City of the Dead
IMHOTEP
It was hidden at Hamunaptra, City of
the Dead, inside the statue of Anubis,
so that no such sacrilege might ever
disgrace Egypt.
EXT. HAMUNAPTRA - ANUBIS SITE - NIGHT
Imhotep pulls an ORNATE CHEST out of a SECRET COMPARTMENT
inside the giant STATUE OF ANUBIS. He opens the chest and
lifts out THE BOOK OF THE DEAD, made of black stone.
IMHOTEP
But for my love of Anck-su-namun I
was willing to defy the gods.
INT. UNDERGROUND NECROPOLIS - NIGHT
Big hairy RATS scurry through the mausoleums and over the
headstones of this very large, scary, UNDERGROUND CEMETERY.
A DETRITUS MOAT surrounds the cemetery, -- muck made out of
filthy water and human remains. Skulls bob in the goop. The
Priests have gathered in a circle. Their hooded, lifeless
eyes seem dead to this world. Their bald heads rock back and
forth as they CHANT, a quiet eerie HUM. Heinous creatures.
In the middle of the circle is a strange, twisted ALTAR.
Imhotep has unwrapped Anck-su-namun's gorgeous, lifeless
body and placed her five sacred canopic jars around her.
IMHOTEP
Anck-su-namun's vital organs were
still fresh, so a human sacrifice
would not need be made.
As Imhotep begins to read from The Book of The Dead, a large
SWIRLING HOLE starts to open in the detritus bog. Several
Priests look over at it, frightened, then quickly look back
down and resume CHANTING. A strange MIST wafts up out of the
swirling hole and over to the jars, it passes through them
and into Anck-su-namun's body. One of the jars SHUDDERS, the
heart inside begins to BEAT. The CHANTING PRIESTS, SWIRLING
HOLE, WAFTING MIST, BEATING HEART and IMHOTEP'S READINGS are
reaching a crescendo. Anck-su-namun's EYES suddenly FLY OPEN.
IMHOTEP
Anck-su-namun soul had come back
from the dead! Now all that was
needed, was to return her organs to
their rightful place within her body.
Imhotep lifts a sacrificial knife above Anck-su-namun's
breast, about to plunge it down. The CHANTING, SWIRLING and
BEATING heart CLIMAX. And that's when the Mumia BURST IN and
storm through the startled Priests. The HEAD MUMIA SMASHES
the jar with the beating heart. The MIST instantly sucks
back out of Anck-su-namun's body and IMPLODES back into the
swirling hole.
Anck-su-namun's eyes close. Dying once again. Imhotep SCREAMS
in rage. The Mumia grab him and his Priests.
IMHOTEP
My Priests were condemned to be
mummified alive.
INT. EMBALMING CHAMBER (NECROPOLIS RE-VAMP) - NIGHT
Inside a TORCH-LIT CHAMBER, Imhotep is held by Anubis-headed
EMBALMERS. He cringes at the flickering, impressionistic
glimpses of his Priests being embalmed and mummified alive.
The horrid-looking Embalmers, using knives, needles and
thread, calmly perform their ghastly surgery on the SCREAMING
Priests, who are going insane from the procedure.
A red hot POKER is pulled out of a pit of burning coals.
A Priest's head is wedged between two strong boards. His
eyes widen in terror as an Embalmer moves to insert the red
hot poker up his nose.
But just before he does, WE QUICKLY CUT TO IMHOTEP'S FACE,
horrified, as OFF CAMERA, the Priest SCREAMS.
WE GO WIDE on the chamber. All twenty-one of Imhotep's Priests
squirm inside their wrappings. Imhotep is forced to his knees.
His arms are held back. His mouth is pried open.
IMHOTEP
As for me, I was condemned to endure
the HOM-DAI. The worst of all ancient
curses. One so horrible, it had never
before been bestowed.
Using a pair of tongs, an Embalmer slowly pulls Imhotep's
TONGUE out of his mouth, then places a very sharp knife on
top of it. WE GO TIGHT on IMHOTEP'S EYES as his tongue is
apparently cut out. The Embalmer flings Imhotep's tongue
onto the floor. The Mumia's dogs attack and quickly eat it.
Imhotep is WRAPPED ALIVE. Only his mouth, nostrils and
fearfilled eyes are left free of the slimy bandages. Detritus
muck boils inside a black cauldron. Embalmers scoop out the
fetid muck and apply it to Imhotep's wrappings as he squirms.
He's then laid in a wooden COFFIN inside a stone SARCOPHAGUS.
An Embalmer with a BUCKET steps up and looks into the coffin.
Imhotep's wild eyes stare back. The Embalmer empties the
bucket over Imhotep's chest: dozens of SCARABS, disgusting
dung beetles. They scurry across Imhotep's SCREAMING face.
Some vanish into his tongue-less mouth and up his nostrils.
IMHOTEP
By eating the sacred scarabs, I would
be cursed to stay alive forever. And
by eating me, they were cursed just
the same.
The lid to the coffin is SLAMMED SHUT. Then, using a strange
four-sided KEY, the Head Mumia locks the coffin lid tight.
The heavy sarcophagus lid is shoved into place and with a
loud WHOOSH seals itself airtight. Once again, the Head Mumia
uses the strange key, locking the sarcophagus lid tight.
IMHOTEP
I was to remain sealed inside my
sarcophagus, the undead for all of
eternity.
The blue-skinned, strangely tattooed man carefully collapses
the sides of the key, -- turning it into a little puzzle
BOX.
IMHOTEP
They would never allow me to be
released. For I would arise a walking
disease, a plague upon mankind, an
unholy flesh-eater, with the strength
of ages, power over the sands, and
the glory of invincibility.
Imhotep's sarcophagus is dropped into a DETRITUS PIT. The
disgusting muck SPLASHES up, drools down it-s sides, and
then is mysteriously sucked into It's seams, vanishing clean.
IMHOTEP
And if I could raise my beloved Anck-
su-namun from her place in hell,
together, we would be an unstoppable
infection upon this world. The
Apocalypse. The End.
Imhotep's horrifying tongue-less SCREAMS can be heard coming
from inside his sarcophagus as grave diggers shovel dirt
onto it. THE MAIN TITLE IS SUPERIMPOSED ON THE SCREAM:
THE MUMMY
The heavily armed Mumia stand guard around Imhotep's grave.
Looking down on the burial site is the huge statue of ANUBIS,
the jackal-headed god of death. It stares at us. Then begins
to DECAY before our very eyes, aging 4,159 years in only
seconds. And then we find ourselves and the decrepit, half-
buried statue of Anubis out in the middle of the desert.
EXT. SAHARA - HAMANAPTRA RUINS (1925) - DAY
Imhotep's horrifying SCREAMS become the SCREAMS of a TUAREG
HORSEMAN.
Racing across the desert with two thousand of his warrior
brethren. Armed to the teeth. SUPERIMPOSED across the SCREEN
are the WORDS:
THE SAHARA - 1925
A mile across the scorching desert TWO HUNDRED FRENCH FOREIGN
LEGIONNAIRES scurry through the ruins, preparing for the
onslaught. OUR HERO is up on the wall. His Kepi sits at a
jaunty angle. Dashing and handsome. This is RICK O'CONNELL.
He looks out at the massive SCREAMING horde galloping at
him.
O'CONNELL
I knew this was gonna be a lousy
day.
A doughy little Frenchman joins him as he makes his way across
the top of the wall. This is BENI.
BENI
Personally, I would like to surrender.
Why can we not just surrender?
O'CONNELL
Shut-up and gimme your bandolier.
Beni pulls off his cartridge belt. Hands it to O'Connell.
BENI
Then let's run away. Right now. While
we can still make it.
O'Connell throws it on, crisscrossing his own bandolier.
O'CONNELL
Now gimme your revolver, you'll never
use it anyway.
Beni pulls out his pistol and chucks it to O'Connell.
BENI
Then let's play dead, huh? Nobody
ever does that anymore.
O'Connell slides it into his belt, next to his own revolver
O'CONNELL
Now go find me a big stick.
BENI
In the desert? What for?
O'Connell turns and goes nose-to-nose with him.
O'CONNELL
So I can tie it to your back, you
appear to be without a spine.
The horde of warriors THUNDERS forward. Now a half mile out.
Scimitars RATTLING. O'Connell and Beni run through the ruins.
O'CONNELL
How'd a guy like you end up in the
Legion anyways?
BENI
I got caught robbing a synagogue.
Lots of good stuff in them holy
places; churches, temples, mosques,
and who's guarding them?
O'CONNELL
Altar boys?
BENI
Exactly! I speak seven languages,
including Hebrew, so my specialty
was synagogues. How about you? Kill
somebody?
Beni trips and accidentally tackles O'Connell to the ground.
O'Connell gives him a nasty look.
O'CONNELL
No, but I'm considering it.
They get up and run out the gate and down the stone ramp
BENI
What then? Robbery? Extortion?
Kidnapping!
O'CONNELL
None of the above, thank you.
BENI
Then what the hell are you doing
here!?
They both skid to a stop at the front line as they see the
horde of warriors. The SOUND of CHARGING HORSES is deafening.
O'Connell gives Beni a big cheesy smile.
O'CONNELL
I was just looking for a good time.
And that's when the cowardly Legionnaire Colonel suddenly
panics, cuts and runs. O'Connell instantly stiffens.
O'CONNELL
Oh shit. Steady!
Gives the men around him courage. But onward comes the horde
Hoofs pounding the sand. Several more Legionnaires take off.
O'CONNELL
STEADY!
(to himself)
What the hell am I sayin'?
The Tuaregs let loose with those horrifying oooo-loo-loog
SCREAMS. More Legionnaires haul-ass. Beni is one of them.
O'CONNELL
STEADY!!
(to himself)
What the hell am I doin'?
The Tuaregs set their rifles and take aim. O'Connell steels
himself, cocks and locks. The cartridge in his mouth suddenly
snaps, he spits it into the sand. Another BEAT. And then --
O'CONNELL
FIRE!
The Legionnaires on the ground FIRE. The rifles report with
a CRASH. The BLAST blows dozens of Tuaregs clean off their
mounts. The prone Legionnaires quickly begin to reload.
O'CONNELL
FIRE!
The kneeling Legionnaires FIRE. More Tuaregs bite the sand.
The remaining warriors OPEN FIRE. THUNDER and SMOKE rip the
hot air. A third of the Legionnaires are killed instantly.
O'CONNELL
FIRE!
The remaining standing Legionnaires FIRE. Tuaregs spin off
their mounts. Crash to the sand. And then the entire Tuareg
force plows into the ruins and through the Legionnaires.
O'Connell grabs the barrel of his rifle and starts CLUBBING
riders off their steeds, fighting like a man possessed.
Beni on the other hand, is bellycrawling across the sand,
whimpering in full retreat as Legionnaires fall dead all
around him. He crawls through the front gate.
O'Connell throws his rifle down and goes for his guns. He
cross-draws, gun in each hand, starts blowing riders off
their mounts.
Beni crawls faster, and then he spots an open TEMPLE DOORWAY
amongst the rocks. He gets up and sprints for the door as
the last of the Legionnaires are shot off their feet behind
him. O'Connell's guns go empty.
O'CONNELL
Son-of-a-bitch.
He turns and runs like hell, right through the front gate.
Four Tuareg warriors on massive Arabians haul-ass after him.
O'Connell hurdles a stone column, hits the ground running.
He spots Beni inside the Temple doorway, trying to close the
heavy sandstone door.
O'CONNELL
Hey! Beni! Wait up!
Beni has no intention of waiting up, he pushes harder.
O'CONNELL
What are ya doing?! Wait up!
O'Connell runs faster. Beni pushes harder. The four Horsemen
LEAP the big column and CHARGE after him. HOOFS POUNDING.
O'CONNELL
Don't you close that door! DON'T YOU
CLOSE THAT DOOR!
Beni closes the door just as O'Connell reaches it. O'Connell
SLAMS his body into the door. It doesn't budge.
O'CONNELL
I'm gonna get you for this!
He turns and bolts off around the rocks. Running for his
life, weaving through the ruins. The Arabians getting closer
and closer. The POUNDING hoofs getting LOUDER and LOUDER.
O'Connell finally spins around and faces his attackers. The
four massive horses crash to a stop in front of him. The
vicious Tuaregs raise their rifles to finish him off.
O'Connell just stands there, exhausted and beaten, then he
slowly lifts his right hand and gives them the bird.
And that's when the horses go ape-shit. All four of them
REAR UP. Two of the Riders are THROWN to the ground. The
horses SCREECH and BELLOW and SNORT in fear, then buck like
fury and haul-ass away as if the devil himself had scared
them. The thrown Riders get up and race off after their
mounts.
O'Connell just stands there, stunned, then he lifts his right
hand and checks out his middle finger. And then he feels the
evil himself, and turns around. -- The shattered, decrepit
statue of Anubis stares back at him.
Suddenly, the sand begins to shift under O'Connell's feet.
He starts to back away, keeping his eyes on the transforming
sand, it looks like huge snakes are wiggling and writhing
beneath it, forming lines and shapes, -- drawing a picture.
O'Connell quickly turns and runs off through the ruins. The
sand stops moving, and we can now see that, drawn in the
sand, is a picture of IMHOTEP'S SCREAMING FACE.
EXT. RIDGE - DAY
Up on a ridge, A GROUP OF RIDERS watch O'Connell stumble
clear of the decrepit city. O'Connell feels their presence
and looks up. Very different from the Tuaregs, they have
BLUE TINTED SKIN and faces covered in strange PUZZLE-TATTOOS.
The Mumia. Still watching Imhotep's grave after all this
time.
The MUMIA LEADER is a huge, fierce Man in black robes, with
dual scimitars across his waist. His face is both handsome
and horrible, blue and tattooed. Meet ARDETH RAY. His dark
eyes watch O'Connell stagger off into the open desert...
EXT. CAIRO - DAY
Cairo, a city so old the stars have actually changed their
positions in the sky since it's birth. A city teeming with
every form of life. A strange, mysterious, wonderful city.
WE SUPERIMPOSE it's name across the SCREEN:
CAIRO
INT. CAIRO MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES - DAY
Deep in the bowels of the museum lie the STACKS. Rows upon
rows of towering bookshelves. Filled with literature on the
Antiquities. Standing at the top of a tall ladder between
two of these rows and leaning against one of the bookshelves,
is a rather uninteresting British GIRL: eye-glasses, hair-in-
a-bun, long boring dress, your typical prudish nightmare.
This is EVELYN CARNARVON. We're going to fall in love with
her.
Evelyn pulls a book out from a stack under her arm, blows
the dust off it, then places it on a shelf with other books
whose titles all begin with the letter "O". Then she grabs
another book out from under her arm and reads the title.
EVELYN
Tuthmosis?... Now how did you get up
here?
Carefully, so as not to lose her balance, she looks over her
shoulder to the bookshelf behind her, where all the titles
begin with the letter "T". Then she looks down. It's a long
way to the bottom. Evelyn gently sets the other books down
on the top shelf, then turns and gingerly starts to reach
across the aisle with the Tuthmosis book. It's a little too
far, so she stretches, reaching, holding the top of the ladder
with her fingertips, she's almost got it, closer now closer.
And that's when the ladder pulls away from the shelf. Evelyn
YELPS, flings the Tuthmosis book and grabs the top of the
ladder, which stands straight up. Evelyn holds her breath,
swaying precariously, a long BEAT, and then she loses her
balance, the ladder swings around and Evelyn starts
stiltwalking down the aisle.
EVELYN
OHEIUGM!! AHHHHHH!
The ladder crosses the aisle, does an about face and heads
back the way it came. Evelyn clings to the top, struggling
for balance. The ladder teeters out into the main aisle and
picks up speed. Evelyn SCREAMS as it does a 180, spins into
another aisle and finally crashes to a stop at the top of a
bookshelf. Evelyn holds her breath, then SIGHS HEAVILY.
And that's when the bookshelf falls away from her and CRASHES
into the next bookshelf.
Evelyn slides down the ladder and plops to the floor. She
looks up just as the domino effect kicks-in: each bookshelf
crashing into the next. And onward it goes. Bookshelf after
bookshelf. Thousands of volumes flinging off shelves and
scattering across the floor. It finally ends as the last
shelf CRASHES into a wall. Evelyn's eyes are closed. She
opens one eye. Looks left. Then right. Then opens the other
eye and stares at the huge mess.
EVELYN
Oops.
The Egyptian CURATOR storms in.
CURATOR
Look at this! Sons of the Messiah!
Give me frogs, flies, locusts,
anything but this! Compared to you,
the other plagues were a joy!
Evelyn quickly gets up and starts gathering books.
EVELYN
I'm sorry, it was an accident.
CURATOR
When Ramesses destroyed Syria, it
was an accident. You are a
catastrophe! Why do I put up with
you?
Evelyn turns to him, trying to contain herself.
EVELYN
You put up with me, because I can
read and write ancient Egyptian,
decipher hieroglyphs and hieratic,
and I'm the only person within a
thousand miles who knows how to
properly code and catalogue this
library.
CURATOR
Who needs smart women? I put up with
you because your mother and father
were our finest patrons, Allah rest
their souls. Now straighten up this
mess!
The Curator storms out. Evelyn just stands there, steaming.
And then she hears a NOISE and quickly turns around. A BEAT.
EVELYN
Hello?
Quiet. Eerie. And then she hears it again, like feet, slowly
shuffling across the floor, coming from a nearby gallery.
EVELYN
Abdul? Mohammed? Bob?
Evelyn walks through the stacks and enters --
INT. THE RAMESSEUM
Filled with treasures and plunder from the Middle Kingdom.
It's very dark and quiet in here, the only LIGHT is from
FLICKERING TORCHES at either end of the spooky gallery.
The NOISE again! From the far side of the room. Feet, slowly
shuffling, plodding across the floor. Evelyn grabs a torch.
Looks around, at a statue of Anubis, another of Horus, they
stare down at Evelyn, who is starting to get scared now. She
walks down the aisle. Past a closed sarcophagus. Past cases
of ancient artifacts. Past another sarcophagus, -- only this
one is OPEN! Evelyn freezes, swallows hard, nervously looks
around to see who could have opened it. Then she slowly leans
forward with the torch, and peers inside.
-- A hideous rotted MUMMY sits up and SCREECHES at her!
Evelyn SCREAMS, drops the torch and backs away, scared out
of her wits. And then, coming from inside the sarcophagus,
she hears a Man LAUGHING. Her eyes narrow as a foppish cad
crawls out from behind the Mummy, laughing his ass off, half
drunk.
EVELYN
You...! YOU...!
JONATHAN
Drunkard? Fool? Rat-bastard? Please
call me something original.
Meet JONATHAN CARNARVON. As he crawls out of the sarcophagus,
Evelyn pulls a cigarette out of the mummy's mouth.
EVELYN
Have you no respect for the dead?
JONATHAN
Right now, I only wish to join them.
He grins drunkenly. Evelyn punches him hard in the chest.
EVELYN
Well I wish you'd do it sooner rather
than later, before you ruin my career
the way you've ruined yours.
JONATHAN
My dear, sweet, baby sister, I'll
have you know, that at this moment
my career is on a high note.
He BELCHES, then falls back and sits on the edge of a tomb.
EVELYN
High note? Ha! For five years you've
been scrounging around Egypt, and
what have you to show for it? Nothing.
Jonathan excitedly starts scrounging around in his jacket.
JONATHAN
Oh yes I do! I have something right
here!
EVELYN
Oh no, not another worthless trinket,
Jonathan, if I bring one more piece
of junk to the Curator to try and
sell for you.
Jonathan pulls out a small, ancient BOX; the collapsed KEY
to Imhotep's sarcophagus and coffin. Evelyn is instantly
curious, she grabs the box out of his hand.
EVELYN
Where did you get this?
Jonathan knows her weaknesses, gives her a mischievous smile.
JONATHAN
On a dig, down in Thebes.
Evelyn rolls the box around in her hands, mumbling to herself
as she translates the hieratics and hieroglyphs covering it.
Jonathan licks his lips in anticipation.
JONATHAN
My whole life I've never found
anything, Evy. Tell me I've found
something.
Evelyn's fingers play with the various little slats on the
box, shifting them this way and that way, it's like a puzzle
box. Then suddenly, it UNFOLDS ITSELF, almost-mechanically,
turning itself into the KEY. Sitting inside the open key/box
is a folded piece of GOLDEN PAPYRUS. An ANCIENT MAP.
EVELYN
Jonathan?
JONATHAN
Yes?
EVELYN
I think you found something.
INT. CURATOR'S OFFICE - DAY
The Curator sits at his desk, staring through a jeweler's
eyepiece at the key/box. Evelyn hovers behind him, excited.
EVELYN
See the cartouche there, it's the
official royal seal of Seti the First,
I'm sure of it.
CURATOR
Perhaps.
Jonathan leans in from across the desk.
JONATHAN
Two questions. Who the hell is Seti
the First? And was he rich?
EVELYN
He was the last Pharaoh of the Old
Kingdom, said to be the wealthiest
Pharaoh of them all.
JONATHAN
Alright, good, that's good. I like
this fellow, like him very much.
The Curator picks up the MAP. It's actually the exact same
map that we established in the opening scenes of the movie.
EVELYN
I've already dated it, this map is
almost four thousand years old. And
the hieratics over here...
(Inhales deeply)
It's Hamunaptra.
The Curator freezes, suddenly very nervous, then he recovers.
CURATOR
My dear girl, don't be ridiculous,
we are scholars, not treasure hunters.
Hamunaptra is a myth.
JONATHAN
Are we talking about the Hamunaptra?
EVELYN
Yes. The City of The Dead. Where the
early Pharaohs were said to have
hidden the wealth of Egypt.
JONATHAN
Right, right, in a big underground
treasure chamber. Everybody knows
the story. The entire necropolis was
rigged to sink into the sand. On
Pharaoh's command, a flick of the
switch! And the whole place could
disappear beneath the dunes.
EVELYN
All we know is that the city
mysteriously vanished around 2,134
B.C.
The Curator holds the map closer to the burning CANDLE-LAMP.
CURATOR
As the Americans would say: it's all
fairy tales and hokum.
The map 'accidentally,' CATCHES ON FIRE. The Curator throws
it to the floor. Jonathan drops to his knees and quickly
puts it out. Lifts it up. The left third of the map is now
missing.
JONATHAN
You burned it! You burned off the
part with the lost city!
CURATOR
It's for the best, I'm sure. Many
men have wasted their lives in the
foolish pursuit of Hamunaptra, no
one has ever found it, most have
never returned.
JONATHAN
(devastated)
You killed my map.
CURATOR
I'm sure it was a fake, anyway, I'm
surprised at you, Miss Carnarvon, to
be so fooled.
The Curator reaches for the key/box. Evelyn quickly snatches
it off the desk and gives him a very angry, suspicious look.
EXT. CAIRO PRISON - GALLOWS COURTYARD - DAY
Cairo prison. One of the worst hell holes on earth. Every
low-life form of scumbag can be found here. The WARDEN, a
first rate scumbag himself, escorts Evelyn and Jonathan across
the gallows courtyard. Evelyn whispers to Jonathan.
EVELYN
You told me you found it on a dig
down in Thebes!
JONATHAN
I was mistaken.
EVELYN
You lied to me!
JONATHAN
I lie to everybody, what makes you
so special?
EVELYN
I'm your sister.
JONATHAN
That just makes you more gullible.
EVELYN
You stole it from a drunk at the
local Casbah?!
JONATHAN
Picked his pocket, actually.
EXT. VISITOR'S PEN - DAY
The Warden ushers Evelyn and Jonathan into the holding pen.
EVELYN
And what is he in prison for?
WARDEN
I did not know, so when I heard you
were coming, I asked him that myself.
EVELYN
And what did he say?
WARDEN
He said... he was just looking for a
good time.
The interior cell door BURSTS OPEN. O'Connell is in chains,
dragged by FOUR GUARDS, they shove him up to the cell bars.
From the looks of it, he's been here awhile; his face is
half hidden by long hair, a scraggly beard and many new
bruises. Evelyn looks at him, disgusted by his appearance.
EVELYN
But he's just a filthy criminal?
JONATHAN
(cringing)
Way to go, Evy.
O'Connell gives Evelyn the once over, then looks at Jonathan.
O'CONNELL
So who's the broad?
EVELYN
Broad?!
JONATHAN
She's my sister, actually.
O'CONNELL
Yeah? Well,... I'm sure she's not a
total loss.
Evelyn is stunned and furious. The Warden heads out the door.
WARDEN
I'll be back in a moment.
O'CONNELL
(sarcastic)
I tremble with anticipation.
A Guard CLUBS O'Connell across the head, O'Connell's face
bounces off the metal bars. He shows no pain, but just looks
back and gives the Guard a nasty look. Evelyn steps closer.
EVELYN
We uh,... found... your puzzle box,
and we've come to ask you about it.
O'CONNELL
No.
EVELYN
No?
O'CONNELL
No... You came to ask me about
Hamunaptra.
Evelyn and Jonathan quickly look around, hoping the guards
didn't hear him. They step closer. Evelyn plays coy.
EVELYN
How do you know the box pertains to
Hamunaptra?
O'CONNELL
Because that's where I found it. I
was there.
Evelyn is dumbstruck. But Jonathan looks suspicious
JONATHAN
How do we know that's not a load of
pig swallow?
O'Connell looks closer at Jonathan, a glint of recognition.
O'CONNELL
Hey,... don't I know you?
JONATHAN
Um, well, you see...
O'Connell's FIST comes flying through the bars, hits Jonathan
square in the jaw, DECKS HIM. He hits the floor. Out cold. A
Guard CLUBS O'Connell. His head bounces off the bars again.
He shows no pain, but gives the Guard another nasty look.
Evelyn looks down at her brother, then back at O'Connell.
EVELYN
You were actually at Hamunaptra?
O'CONNELL
I just decked your brother
EVELYN
Yes, well...
(shrugs)
I know my brother.
O'Connell almost smiles. There's a bit of spark to this girl.
O'CONNELL
Yeah, I was there.
EVELYN
You swear?
O'CONNELL
Every damn day.
EVELYN
No, I mean --
O'CONNELL
-- I know what you mean. I was there,
alright. Seti's place. The City Of
The Dead.
EVELYN
What did you find? What did you see?
O'CONNELL
I found sand. I saw death.
The warden enters. Evelyn quickly leans closer to O'Connell.
EVELYN
Could you tell me how to get there?
The exact location?
O'CONNELL
Want to know?
Evelyn leans in even closer.
EVELYN
Yes.
O'CONNELL
Really want to know?
She leans her face right up to the bars, nervous and excited
EVELYN
Yes.
O'Connell steps forward and KISSES her full on the lips.
O'CONNELL
Then get me the hell outta here.
Evelyn is stunned. A Guard CLUBS him, his face bounces off
the bars again, but before he can react the Guards GRAB him,
YANKS him away from the bars and DRAG him out of the room.
EVELYN
Where are they taking him?
WARDEN
To be hanged.
Evelyn is shocked. The warden shows-off his green teeth.
WARDEN
Apparently, he had a very good time.
EXT. GALLOWS COURTYARD - DAY
Hundreds of filthy PRISONERS stare down onto the gallows as
the hangman's noose is draped over O'Connell's head and
cinched tight around his neck. Evelyn follows the warden
onto a balcony above the gallows. The prisoners all go dead
quiet at the sight of her; like jackals staring at fresh
meat.
WARDEN
No women allowed.
EVELYN
I am an English woman.
This seems to confuse the Warden, he shrugs and sits down.
O'Connell looks up as Evelyn plops down beside the Warden.
EVELYN
I will give you one hundred pounds
to spare his life.
WARDEN
I would pay one hundred pounds just
to see him hang.
EVELYN
Two hundred pounds.
WARDEN
Proceed!
EVELYN
Three hundred pounds!
O'Connell can hear every word, he looks hopeful. Other than
Evelyn, you could hear a pin drop. The HANGMAN turns to him.
HANGMAN
Any last requests, pig?
O'CONNELL
Yeah, I'd like ya to let me go.
The Hangman grabs the lever to the trapdoor.
EVELYN
FIVE HUNDRED POUNDS!
The Warden sets his greasy, lecherous hand on Evelyn's leg.
WARDEN
And what else?
Evelyn is revolted, she quickly shoves his hand away.
Insulted, the Warden angrily turns and gestures to the
Hangman, who pulls the lever. The trapdoor DROPS AWAY.
EVELYN
NOOO!
O'Connell DROPS through the hole. The rope pays out. Then
JERKS TAUGHT. O'Connell's body SNAPS at the end of the rope.
But he's still alive, because --
WARDEN
His neck did not break! Good! Now we
watch him strangle to death.
The prisoners go ape-shit, SCREAMING and SHOUTING in anger.
The GUARDS look around, nervous. O'Connell struggles at the
end of the rope, gagging. Evelyn is horrified, she quickly
turns to the warden, leans forward and whispers in his ear.
EVELYN
He knows the location to Hamunaptra.
The warden spins around and faces her.
WARDEN
You lie.
EVELYN
I would never!
At the end of the rope, O'Connell is choking and gagging and
turning several shades of red. The Warden stares at Evelyn.
WARDEN
Are you saying this filthy godless
son of a pig knows where to find The
City Of The Dead? Truly?
EVELYN
Yes and if you cut him down, we will
give you ten percent.
WARDEN
Fifty percent.
EVELYN
Twenty.
WARDEN
Forty.
Evelyn hesitates, bites her lip. O'Connell's eyes bulge as
he looks up at her, he can't believe this girl.
O'CONNELL
Give... give him... give him GLAAAA--
!
EVELYN
Twenty-five percent, and not one
single farthing more.
The warden flashes a big green smile, then YELLS in Arabic.
A scimitar SLASHES the air. The rope is CUT. O'Connell CRASHES
to the ground. Half dead. Rolls over. GAGGING.
All of the prisoners BURST INTO CHEERS. O'Connell looks up
at Evelyn. She smiles broadly and waves down at him.
CURATOR'S OFFICE - NIGHT
CANDLE LIGHT FLICKERS across the Curator's face.
CURATOR
She must die.
Standing in the shadows across from his desk are THREE MUMIA:
blue tinted skin, hideous facial tattoos, -- the works. One
of the Mumia has a rusty metal HOOK for a hand. He shrugs.
HOOK
She is like all the others. She will
die in the desert.
CURATOR
No! She has seen too much. She knows
too much.
The Curator leans across his desk, fear in his eyes.
CURATOR
Not only does she have a map, but
she has the key.
Spooks the hell out of the Mumia guys.
HOOK
The key!? She has the lost key!?
CURATOR
Yes. No one has ever had so much,
been so close. We must stop her, or
it will be the end of us all.
HOOK
Then we will kill her, we will kill
her and all those with her.
CURATOR
And burn the map and retrieve the
key.
HOOK
It will be done. But what of the
American expedition? They leave
tomorrow as well.
CURATOR
Forget the bumbling Americans, they
will be like all the others. Without
the map to guide them, how can they
possibly find Hamunaptra?
EXT. GIZA PORT - DAY
SMASH CUT TO: our old traitorous friend BENI.
BENI
It is three days down the Nile, then
two days by camel, sahibs.
WE CRANE BACK: to reveal Beni standing on the bow of a
PASSENGER BARGE. Surrounded by DANIELS, HENDERSON and BURNS.
DANIELS
For all the money we're paying you,
something better god-damned well be
under that sand.
WE KEEP CRANING BACK: as Henderson slaps Daniels on the back.
HENDERSON
"Hamunaptra," Daniels, that's all ya
gotta keep sayin, to yourself,
"Hamunaptra."
Now we see all of GIZA PORT: Team of explorers swarm the
docks. Across the Nile, the PYRAMIDS spike the sky. Evelyn
and Jonathan walk along the boardwalk besieged by HAWKERS
selling everything from toy tombs to King Tut action figures.
EVELYN
Do you really think he'll show up?
JONATHAN
Undoubtedly, I know the breed, he
may be a cowboy, but his word is his
word.
EVELYN
Personally, I think he's filthy,
rude and a complete scoundrel. I
don't like him one bit.
O'CONNELL (O.S.)
Anyone I know?
They both turn. O'Connell walks up; shaved, showered, spit
and polished, with a new haircut and clothes. He looks more
dashing and handsome than ever. Evelyn is suitably impressed.
EVELYN
Oh... um,... hello.
Jonathan grabs O'Connell's arm and shakes his hand.
JONATHAN
Smashing day for the start of an
adventure, eh, O'Connell?
O'Connell quickly checks his pockets.
O'CONNELL
Yeah, sure, smashing.
He finds his wallet and relaxes. DIRECTLY ABOVE HIM: on the
bow of the barge, Burns wipes his bifocals and turns to Beni.
BURNS
You're sure Hamunaptra is out there?
BENI
Along with the scorched bones of my
entire garrison, sahib.
And that's when Beni spots O'Connell. Beni shakes his head,
as if seeing a mirage, then starts backing away from the
men.
BENI
A thousand pardons, my good sahibs
but there is much work to be done.
Beni quickly scurries off, vanishing down into the hold.
BACK DOWN WITH: Evelyn, recovering, she clears her throat.
EVELYN
Mister O'Connell, can you look me in
the eye, and guarantee me this is
not some sort of flimflam? Because
if it is, I'm warning you --
O'Connell steps up close to Evelyn, invading her space looks
her straight in the eye. Evelyn doesn't back away.
O'CONNELL
All I can tell you, miss, is that my
Colonel found that map in an ancient
fortress, and the whole damn garrison
believed in it so much, that without
orders, we marched halfway across
Libya and into Egypt to find that
city. Like I told ya, all I saw was
sand. Everybody else was wiped out
by Tuareg warriors. I'll take your
bags.
O'Connell takes her bags and heads up the gangplank and onto
the same passenger barge that Beni and the Americans are on.
Evelyn's eyes follow him, a bit wistfully. Jonathan sees it.
JONATHAN
Yes, yes, you're right, filthy, rude,
a complete scoundrel, nothing to
like there at all.
Evelyn gives him a look. Jonathan just grins. And that's
when the warden suddenly brushes past, tipping his raggedy
hat.
WARDEN
A bright good morning to all.
EVELYN
What are you doing here?
WARDEN
I have come to protect my investment,
thank you very much.
And up the plank he goes. Evelyn and Jonathan share a look.
WE GO WIDE AGAIN: as the barge pulls out and heads down the
Nile. WE TILT UP: to the SUN, which then DISSOLVES into --
EXT. RIVER NILE - NIGHT
The MOON, shining down on the desert. The THREE VICIOUS MUMIA
quietly glide a narrow skiff out onto the river. The one
with the hook sits in the middle of the skiff, the other two
row, heading for the PASSENGER BARGE coming their way.
EXT. THE BAR AT THE BOW - NIGHT
Jonathan and the three Americans are playing poker. O'Connell
comes out a door carrying a GUNNY-SACK.
JONATHAN
Sit down, O'Connell, sit down, we
could use another good player.
O'CONNELL
I only gamble with my life, never my
money.
DANIELS
Never? What if I were to wager five
hundred dollars says we get to
Hamunaptra before you?
O'Connell returns Daniel's cocky look.
O'CONNELL
Yer on.
Burns slips on his dirty bifocals.
BURNS
What makes you so confident, sir?
O'CONNELL
What makes you?
Henderson spits a wad of chew into a spittoon.
HENDERSON
We got us a man who's actually been
there.
O'Connell's poker face drops, perplexed. Same with Jonathan.
JONATHAN
I say, what a coincidence, why --
O'Connell 'accidentally' hits him in the ribs with the
gunnysack, shutting him up. Jonathan quickly covers.
JONATHAN
-- whose deal is it? Is it my deal?
I thought I just dealt?
EXT. BARGE - NIGHT
Evelyn sits on a table, staring out over the passing river.
The gunny-sack DROPS onto the table, startling her.
O'CONNELL
Sorry, didn't mean to scare ya.
EVELYN
The only thing that scares me, Mister
O'Connell, are your manners.
O'CONNELL
Still angry that I kissed ya, huh?
EVELYN
If you call that a kiss.
O'Connell reaches into the gunny-sack and starts pulling out
revolvers, pistols, hunting knives, a massive elephant gun,
and a half dozen carefully wrapped sticks of dynamite.
EVELYN
Did I miss something? Are we going
into battle?
O'CONNELL
The last time I was at that place
everybody I was with died.
This takes the smile off Evelyn's face. O'Connell starts
dismantling and cleaning the guns.
O'CONNELL
There's something out there, you
know, something under that sand.
EVELYN
Yes, I'm hoping to find a certain
artifact, a book, actually, my brother
thinks there's treasure. What do you
think is out there?
O'Connell looks into Evelyn's eyes.
O'CONNELL
Evil. The Tuaregs and the Bedouin
believe that Hamunaptra is cursed,
they call it, "the doorway to hell."
EVELYN
Ahmar is Ossirion. "Passageway to
the underworld", actually.
She gives him a know-it-all grin.
EVELYN
I don't believe in fairy tales and
hokum, Mister O'Connell, but I do
believe that one of the most famous
books in history is buried out there,
The Book Of The Living. It's what
first interested me in Egypt as a
child. It's why I came here, sort of
a life's pursuit.
O'CONNELL
And the fact that they say it's made
out of pure gold, makes no nevermind
to you, right?
Evelyn is surprised by his knowledge.
EVELYN
You know your history.
O'CONNELL
I know my treasure.
Evelyn gets up to go, then she hesitates, nervous, she turns
back to O'Connell, and as matter-of-fact as possible says:
EVELYN
By the way,... why did you kiss me?
O'Connell, cleaning his guns, just shrugs his shoulders.
O'CONNELL
I was about to be hanged, seemed
like a good idea at the time.
Evelyn's eyes widen, furious, she turns and storms off.
O'Connell looks up, watching her leave, a bit perplexed.
O'CONNELL
What?... Wha'd I say?
Then he hears someone SNICKERING under the table. He quickly
reaches down, grabs that someone and lifts him up. It's Beni.
BENI
My very good friend! What a surprise.
O'CONNELL
Why if it ain't my little buddy,
Beni. I oughta kill you.
O'Connell sticks a knife under Beni's throat. Beni swallows
hard, then tries to weasel his way out with a big grin.
BENI
You never were any good with the
ladies, O'Connell.
O'CONNELL
So you're the one leading the
Americans, I shoulda figured. So
what's the scam? You get 'em out in
the middle of the desert then leave
'em to rot?
BENI
Unfortunately no, these Americans
are smart, they pay me only half
now, half when I get them back to
Cairo, so I must go all the way.
O'Connell pulls the knife away. Beni relaxes, rubs his neck.
BENI
You never believed in Hamunaptra,
O'Connell. Why are you going back?
The devil himself lives out there.
They look as they hear Evelyn YELP. A single CAMEL in the
HORSE PADDOCK takes another bite at her. She YELPS again and
backs away. O'Connell grins as Evelyn flees down the deck.
O'CONNELL
The girl saved my life, figured it
was the least I could do, keep her
out of trouble.
BENI
You always did have more balls than
brains.
O'Connell's eyes narrow at the insult, he looks back at Beni.
O'CONNELL
Let's make us even, shall we?
BENI
Even?
O'Connell grabs him and chucks him over the side of the barge.
Beni SPLASHES into the river. O'Connell takes his gunny-sack
and starts walking off down the deck.
BENI (O.S.)
O'Connell! I am going to kill you
for this!
O'CONNELL
Sounds familiar.
And that's when he spots THREE SETS OF WET FOOTPRINTS, coming
up over the railing from the river and heading down the deck.
O'Connell quickly looks around, immediately on the alert.
INT. EVELYN'S CABIN - NIGHT
Evelyn, wearing a nightgown, stands in front of a mirror.
She gives her head a good shake, letting her hair fall loose
over her bare shoulders. Then she turns around, RIGHT THERE
IS ONE OF THE HIDEOUS MUMIA! It's Hook. He slams his hand
over her mouth and lifts up his hook, ready to strike.
HOOK
Where is the map?
Evelyn's terrified eyes glance down. Hook looks over, sees
the map lying next to a flickering candle on a nearby table.
HOOK
And the key? Where is the key?
Evelyn's eyes look confused. She shakes her head. Hook grins.
HOOK
Then I'll find it myself.
He cocks his hook, about to kill her. And that's when the
door is KICKED OPEN. O'Connell BURSTS IN, gun in each hand.
Hook spins Evelyn around and holds her out in front of him.
O'Connell looks at her.
O'CONNELL
Friend of yours?
Evelyn's eyes widen. And that's when the candle on the table
FLICKERS. Everything happens at once, READ FAST: O'Connell
spins around just as a window BURSTS OPEN. A Mumia leans in.
FIRES A GUN. Woodchips BLAST OFF the wall next to O'Connell's
head. He returns FIRE. Kills the Mumia. The Mumia falls back.
FIRING BLINDLY. A LANTERN in the room is BLASTED. Kerosene
SPLASHES across the wall. BURSTS INTO FLAMES. Evelyn grabs
the candle on the table and JAMS IT back over her shoulder,
right into Hook's EYE. He SCREECHES in pain and lets her go.
O'Connell grabs her and YANKS her out of the FLAMING ROOM.
HALLWAY - NIGHT
O'Connell pulls Evelyn down the hall, she tries to jerk free.
EVELYN
The map! We need the map!
He shoves her up against a wall.
O'CONNELL
Relax! I'm the map!
(taps his forehead)
It's all up here.
EVELYN
Oh that's comforting.
O'Connell gives her a look, then pulls her forward.
O'CONNELL
C'mon, there's still one more of
those guys around here somewhere.
EVELYN'S FLAMING ROOM - NIGHT
Hot melted wax covers Hook's face as he holds his sore eye
and struggles to the door. Then he notices the key/box on
the floor. He bends over to pick it up. And that's when the
door is KICKED OPEN again, it hits him in the ass and knocks
him into the fire. Jonathan leans in. Sees nothing but flames.
JONATHAN
EVY!!
Then he sees the key/box on the floor and picks it up. A
HAND suddenly snatches the key/box away from him.
JONATHAN
Hey that's mine --
It's Hook. His backside is now ON FIRE. He lifts his pistol.
Jonathan quickly backpedals out the door as Hook OPENS FIRE.
EXT. CAMEL PADDOCK - NIGHT
O'Connell and Evelyn race out onto the deck near the horse
paddock. People are SCREAMING and SHOUTING, lots of panic.
BLAM! A chunk of the wall is BLOWN OFF next to Evelyn's head.
O'Connell pivots and FIRES BACK. It's the last Mumia, on the
other side of the paddock. He and O'Connell exchange GUNFIRE.
Another LANTERN BURSTS INTO FLAMES. O'Connell SHOOTS OFF the
paddock lock. The horses go nuts. O'Connell FIRES over their
heads. They CHARGE FORWARD and CRASH through the door. The
Mumia SCREAMS as the horses STAMPEDE over him. FLAMES sweep
up the walls and race across the roof. Half the barge is now
ON FIRE. O'Connell throws the gunny-sack over his shoulder.
O'CONNELL
Can you swim?
EVELYN
Well of course I can swim, if the
occasion calls for it.
O'CONNELL
Trust me.
He picks her up and throws her over the side.
O'CONNELL
The occasion calls for it.
Evelyn SPLASHES into the water. O'Connell dives in after
her.
EXT. BARGE BOW - NIGHT
Jonathan runs out onto the bow, sees the three Americans,
guns in every hand, fanning their pistols, SHOOTING everything
in sight. Jonathan just shakes his head.
JONATHAN
Americans.
Hook suddenly stumbles up behind him, -- now a FLAMING TORCH.
Jonathan turns around, Hook grabs him by the throat with his
FLAMING ARM and pins him to the cabin wall. Jonathan's eyes
widen as he sees a hook rising up inside the FLAMES about to
strike him. The Americans pivot and OPEN FIRE. Blows Hook
over the railing. Jonathan turns to the Americans and smiles.
JONATHAN
I say! Good show!
Then he points his thumb at himself
JONATHAN
And did I panic?
He lifts up his other hand, -- he has the key/box back.
JONATHAN
I think not.
And that's when the horses STAMPEDE onto the bow. Jonathan
dives over one side, the three Americans dive over the other.
NILE RIVERBANK - NIGHT
O'Connell, Evelyn, Jonathan and the Warden wade out of the
water. Evelyn's nightgown clings tight to her body as she
wrings it out. She looks good. O'Connell notices.
Everybody else, including the horses, is getting out on the
far shore O'Connell spots Beni running up to the Americans.
BENI
Hey O'Connell! Looks to me like I
got all the horses!
O'CONNELL
Hey Beni! Looks to me like your on
the wrong side of the river!
Beni looks up at the stars, then angrily KICKS the sand
CURSING. The FLAMING barge drifts off, slowly sinking...
BEDOUIN TRADING POST - DAY
O'Connell barters in ARABIC with a CAMEL TRADER at a trading
post. Jonathan forks over some cash. The Trader hands them
the reins of four ugly old camels.
JONATHAN
I can't believe the price of these
fleabags.
O'CONNELL
We coulda had 'em for free, all we
had to do was give 'em your sister.
JONATHAN
Yes, awfully tempting, wasn't it?
O'CONNELL
Awfully.
And that's when Evelyn steps out of a trading tent. She's
changed into a gorgeous, tightly fitted, Bedouin dress.
O'CONNELL
Then again...
SAHARA DESERT SAND DUNES - DAY
O'Connell, Evelyn, Jonathan and the warden are on camels in
the middle of the frying pan; the endless, sunbaked Sahara.
JONATHAN
Never did like camels. Filthy buggers.
They smell, they bite, they spit.
Disgusting.
The warden savagely attacks a chicken wing with his vile
green teeth. Flies buzz around his head. He sucks at his
gums, then spits out some gristle. O'Connell watches him.
O'CONNELL
Yeah, disgusting.
Evelyn is having the time of her life on top of her camel.
EVELYN
Well I think they're cute.
WE DO SEVERAL TIME DISSOLVES: showing the majesty of the
desert, and our heroes getting deeper and deeper into it.
FRYING PAN - NIGHT
The MOON shines down an four lone camel rider's trekking
across the vast wasteland.
Jonathan is sound asleep, his head bobbing comically to the
rhythm of his camel. On the camel next to him, the Warden
SNORES LOUDLY. Up in front of them, Evelyn slowly starts to
slide off her saddle. O'Connell reaches over and stops her,
then gently pushes her back up onto her saddle, never waking
her. For a long moment, his eyes watch Evelyn, and then he
looks up at a distant ridge --
-- where Ardeth Ray and a group of MUMIA RIDERS are pacing
them.
EXT. GIANT SAND DUNE - ENDLESS HORIZON - DAY
The dawning sun hasn't yet crested the distant horizon as
Jonathan and the Warden ride alongside a giant sand dune.
JONATHAN
And you snore!
WARDEN
I do not snore!
JONATHAN
All night you snored!
WARDEN
I have never snored!
Up in front of them, O'Connell looks at Evelyn.
O'CONNELL
We're almost there.
EVELYN
Are you sure?
O'Connell looks down at the ground.
O'CONNELL
Pretty sure.
The others look down and see DOZENS OF SKELETONS sticking
out of the ground. Bleached and eaten away. Some of the
skeletons look like they're trying to crawl up out of the
desert floor.
JONATHAN
What in bloody hell is this?
The Warden shivers in fear.
WARDEN
Other seekers of Hamunaptra.
The American Expedition rides out from behind the far end of
the dune. The Americans are accompanied by TWO DOZEN NATIVE
DIGGERS and an Arab EGYPTOLOGIST. Beni rides lead on a camel,
the rest ride horses.
BENI
Good morning, my friend!
O'Connell just nods. The two parties come to a stop a hundred
feet apart. O'Connell turns and stares out across the endless
horizon. Beni does likewise. The Americans look puzzled.
DANIELS
Well, what the hell we doin'?
BENI
Patience, my good sahib, patience.
Henderson looks over at O'Connell.
HENDERSON
First one to the city, O'Connell!
Five hundred! Cash bucks!
O'Connell and Beni just stare out at the flat nothingness.
Evelyn and Jonathan share a look. And then, the SUN starts
to rise in the distance, breaking the flat horizon.
O'CONNELL
Get ready.
Evelyn can feel the suspense and the majesty of the moment.
EVELYN
For what?
O'CONNELL
We're about to be shown the way.
Far off to the right, a HUGE SHAPE begins to rise with the
sun. A VOLCANO. O'Connell and Beni watch it, expressionless.
Daniels, Henderson and Burns share a look, and then --
DANIELS/HENDERSON/BURNS
HEYA!
The Americans take off. Racing towards the rising volcano.
DANIELS
SEE YA THERE, O'CONNELL!
Evelyn and Jonathan give O'Connell anxious, sarcastic looks.
JONATHAN
Ah, begging your pardon, but shouldn't
we be going?
EVELYN
After all, you rode us night and day
to win that bet.
O'Connell doesn't say a word, staring hard. Beni watches the
Americans and spits into the sand.
BENI
Fools.
And then suddenly, the volcano SHIFTS ACROSS THE HORIZON.
Passing across the sun as it goes. It's a MIRAGE.
The Americans crash their horses to a stop and race the other
way, after the volcano. Evelyn and Jonathan smile, amazed.
The volcano SHIFTS AGAIN, floating across the watery horizon.
The Americans crash to a stop again and chase after the
volcano. All three of them confused and CURSING. O'Connell
and Beni just stare, waiting. The volcano SHIFTS AGAIN. And
the Americans crash to a stop again. Burns is THROWN from
his horse. Henderson angrily rips his hat off and chucks it
to the ground. Daniels just curses as they give up the chase.
The volcano comes to a stop on the far left of the horizon.
The Americans are on the far right. Nothing moves. A BEAT.
And then O'Connell grins. So does Beni. They share a look.
And then SWAT their camels and RACE AWAY. Everybody else
hauls-ass after them. O'Connell and Beni are neck-and-neck.
And then Evelyn comes galloping up, hair flying in the wind.
Beni takes out his camel whip and starts WHIPPING O'Connell.
Trying to knock him off his camel. once. CRACK! Twice. CRACK!
But on the third try O'Connell grabs the whip and JERKS Beni
off his camel. Beni SLAMS to the ground and TUMBLES.
Evelyn and O'Connell race across the desert. Evelyn has never
felt so alive. She LAUGHS. O'Connell grins; he likes this
girl. Beni stumbles to his feet, then quickly dances out of
the way as Jonathan and all the other riders stampede past
him. Evelyn beats O'Connell to the stone ramp, racing hard.
O'CONNELL
Evelyn! Slow down!
Evelyn ignores him as she races up the ramp towards the gate.
O'CONNELL
SLOW DOWN, EVELYN! SLOW DOWN! THERE'S
A REALLY BIG --
INT. HAMUNAPTRA - DAY
Evelyn goes ass-over-teacups through the air and crash lands
in a sand dune. She sits up, stunned, sandy hair in her eyes.
O'Connell stops at the edge of the ramp next to her camel.
O'CONNELL
Never mind.
The Americans ride up and look in wonder at the ruins inside
the volcano. O'Connell gives them a big, shit-eating grin.
O'CONNELL
You boys owe me five hundred dollars.
EXT. HAMUNAPTRA - DAY
Under the guidance of the Egyptologist, the Diggers are busy
hauling rock and dirt out of the Temple doorway. The three
Americans are playing poker. Beni smokes a hookah and swats
flies. Dozens of stray CAMELS roam the decrepit city; dusty
backpacks and old saddlebags still slung over their humps.
DANIELS
Where'd all these camels come from?
BENI
They belong to the dead. They will
wait years for their masters to return
before leaving.
EXT. OUR HEROES DIG - DAY
O'Connell, Evelyn, Jonathan and the Warden are working next
to a narrow CREVICE, which weaves it's way through the ruins.
O'Connell ties a rope around a pillar and throws the rest of
the coils into the crevice, about to rappel down. Jonathan
bends over to have a look, his ass hits something, he YELPS
and backs away. It's the decrepit FACE OF ANUBIS.
JONATHAN
That thing gives me the creeps.
O'CONNELL
Be nice. That thing saved my life.
Evelyn is positioning ancient MIRRORS along the crevice.
EVELYN
That "thing" gets me excited.
O'CONNELL
(sarcastic)
The things that get you excited.
EVELYN
According to Bembridge Scholars,
inside the statue of Anubis was a
secret compartment, perhaps containing
The Book Of The Living.
O'CONNELL
What are those mirrors for?
EVELYN
Ancient Egyptian trick. You'll see.
O'Connell shrugs, then rappels down into the crevice.
INT. EMBALMER'S CHAMBER - DAY
O'Connell waves a TORCH as Jonathan, Evelyn and the warden
drop down next to him. Evelyn peers into the spooky darkness.
EVELYN
Do you realize, we are standing inside
a room that no one has entered in
over four thousand years.
WARDEN
Who cares? I don't see no treasure.
O'CONNELL
You're welcome to my share of the
spider webs.
JONATHAN
And it stinks to high heaven in here.
Evelyn just rolls her eyes.
EVELYN
Cretins.
Jonathan sniffs the foul air, then he looks at the warden
and realizes where the smell is coming from. He stops
sniffing.
Evelyn brushes COBWEBS away from a METAL DISK on the wall,
then repositions it on it's pedestal, aiming it at a RAY OF
LIGHT shining in from the outer mirrors. -- THE RAY OF LIGHT
HITS THE DISK AND QUICKLY SHOOTS AROUND THE ROOM FROM ONE
DISK TO ANOTHER UNTIL THE WHOLE CHAMBER IS LIT UP. LIGHT
RAYS SHOOT OFF DOWN THE PASSAGEWAYS. It's the embalmer's
chamber.
O'CONNELL
That is a neat trick.
EVELYN
Oh my god, It's a preparation room.
O'CONNELL
Preparation for what?
EVELYN
For entering the afterlife.
O'Connell quickly draws his gun. Jonathan gently nudges him.
JONATHAN
Mummies, my good son, this is where
they made the mummies.
Evelyn heads down a narrow passageway. The others follow.
INT. LABYRINTH - DAY
O'Connell, Evelyn and Jonathan crouch as they make their way
through a narrow, COBWEB INFESTED LABYRINTH. The short, squat
warden can stand straight up. Then they hear something and
freeze. It sounds like somebody is clawing inside the walls.
They share looks. Then slowly move forward. Getting darker
and darker as they go. The strange sound getting louder and
louder. And then it stops. Evelyn holds her breath. Jonathan
licks his lips. O'Connell cocks his pistol. The warden FARTS.
O'Connell, Jonathan and Evelyn glare at him.
ANUBIS' CHAMBER - DAY
They slowly creep out of the labyrinth and up to the foot of
an enormous half-buried statue. The lower half of Anubis.
Then they hear the sound again, coming closer now, from the
other side of the statue. And closer. O'Connell pulls Evelyn
behind him. And closer. O'Connell raises his gun. And CLOSER!
O'Connell LEAPS OUT. -- THREE HORRIBLE SWEATY FACES LUNGE AT
HIM. O'Connell REACTS. But doesn't pull the trigger because
it's just the Americans, their guns are up, cocked and aimed.
HENDERSON
Ya scared the bejeezus out of us,
O'Connell.
O'CONNELL
Likewise.
But nobody lowers their guns. Daniels grins, the tough one.
DANIELS
This here is our statue,... friend.
O'CONNELL
Don't see your name on it,... pal.
And that's when Beni, five Diggers and the Egyptologist step
out of the shadows, -- all holding guns aimed at O'Connell.
BENI
Ten to one, O'Connell, your odds are
no-so-good.
O'CONNELL
I've had worse.
Jonathan clenches a tiny derringer.
JONATHAN
Yes, me too.
O'Connell gives him a sideways glance. Beni cocks his gun,
grinning, he wants it to happen. The tension thickens. Then
Evelyn gently takes O'Connell's gun hand and pulls it down.
EVELYN
Let's be nice, children, if we're
going to play together, we must learn
to share.
Evelyn pulls O'Connell away. Jonathan and the Warden follow.
Beni and the Americans slowly lower their guns, laughing.
The Egyptologist excitedly begins translating the hieroglyphs.
INT. IMHOTEP'S CHAMBER - DAY
O'Connell and Jonathan are using sledge-hammers against the
ceiling. Evelyn is gently chipping away with a tiny chisel.
EVELYN
According to my calculations, we
should be right under the statue.
We'll come up right between his legs.
(she blushes and laughs)
Oh my.
JONATHAN
And when those dirty Yanks go to
sleep --
(looks at O'Connell)
No offense.
O'CONNELL
None taken.
JONATHAN
We'll sneak up and steal that book
right out from under them.
O'CONNELL
And you're sure you can find the
secret compartment?
EVELYN
Yes, if their Egyptologist hasn't
already found it.
Jonathan looks around.
JONATHAN
I say, what's our smelly little friend
got himself up to?
INT. SCARAB CHAMBER - DAY
The Warden crawls into a DARK CHAMBER and LIGHTS A TORCH.
A mural wall comes alive. Embedded into it are dozens of
black amethyst SCARABS; glittering images of the sacred
beetles. Awestruck, the Warden pulls out a pocket knife and
starts prying away at one of the precious bugs.
INT. ANUBIS' CHAMBER - DAY
Beni and the Americans hover around the Egyptologist, who's
found the SECRET COMPARTMENT inside Anubis. The Egyptologist
brushes sand away from the seam. Henderson steps forward and
grabs the seam, -- the Egyptologist quickly stops him.
EGYPTOLOGIST
Seti was no fool.
Henderson sees the intense look in the Egyptologist's eyes
HENDERSON
Yeah, sure...
He looks back at the native Diggers.
HENDERSON
We'll let him open it.
The Egyptologist nods, then YELLS IN EGYPTIAN at the Diggers.
The Diggers hesitate, filled with fear. Daniels pulls out
his gun, aims it at three of the Diggers. The three Diggers
hesitantly step forward with crowbars and stick them into
the seams. The other Diggers back away, scared shitless.
Beni and the Americans exchange looks, and then they back
away as well.
INT. IMHOTEP'S CHAMBER - DAY
Three Heroes are still digging into the ceiling
O'CONNELL
Lemme get this straight, they stuck
a sharp, red hot poker up your nose,
cut your brain into small pieces,
then ripped it all out through your
nostrils?
JONATHAN
OWCH! That's really got to hurt.
EVELYN
It's called mummification. You're
dead when they do this
JONATHAN
Still...
O'CONNELL
Yeah, that'd bring you back to life.
EVELYN
You two are worse than a couple of
schoolboys.
And that's when a huge chunk of the roof suddenly GIVES OUT.
O'Connell GRABS Evelyn and JERKS her clear. Jonathan DIVES
for the far wall. A MASSIVE STONE CASEMENT DROPS OUT OF THE
CEILING AND CRASHES to the floor. DUST FLIES. Fills the room.
INT. ANUBIS' CHAMBER
Having heard the crash, Beni and the Americans have their
guns pointed at the floor. The Egyptologist could care less,
he looks at the Diggers, gripping their crowbars, and YELLS --
EGYPTOLOGIST
FENI!
The three Diggers PULL HARD. The ancient seams start to give,
The Egyptologist YELLS again. The Diggers PULL HARDER. The
compartment starts to loosen. Again he YELLS. The Diggers
give one final pull and --
-- AN INTENSE BURST OF LIQUID SPRAYS OUT OF THE SEAM. HITS
THE THREE DIGGERS. MELTS THEIR SKIN CLEAN OFF. They SCREAM.
Dying horribly. HALF SKELETAL by the time they hit the
ground...
INT. IMHOTEP'S CHAMBER - DAY
The dust is starting to clear. O'Connell, Evelyn and Jonathan
slowly get up and step over to the massive stone casement.
We immediately recognize it as IMHOTEP'S SARCOPHAGUS.
EVELYN
Oh my god,... it looks like, it looks
like a sarcophagus.
O'CONNELL
Why would they bury somebody in the
ceiling?
EVELYN
They didn't, they buried him at the
foot of Anubis. He was either someone
of great importance. Or he did
something very naughty.
INT. SCARAB CHAMBER - DAY
The warden drops an amethyst-scarab into his pouch, then
greedily starts prying away at another. It rips off, he drops
it into his pouch, -- only he misses, and this scarab quietly
falls to the sandy floor without the Warden noticing.
CLOSE ON: the scarab on the floor. It begins to TRANSFORM.
The amethyst starts to glow. Something inside starts to
WIGGLE; as if the amethyst were some sort of strange cocoon.
Then it splits open and a real live hideous SCARAB BEETLE
scurries out. It races over to the warden's shoe, quickly
burrows into the leather and vanishes inside.
The Warden's eyes FLY OPEN. He starts to SCREAM, drops his
knife and frantically starts clawing away at his pant leg,
higher and higher until he rips open his shirt revealing a
large, hideous LUMP, BURROWING UNDER HIS SKIN. IT BURROWS
IT'S WAY UP HIS FAT BELLY AND ACROSS HIS HAIRY CHEST. The
Warden claws and scratches at it, trying to stop it. The
lump BURROWS UP HIS NECK. The Warden starts GAGGING and
COUGHING.
And then the scarab-lump VANISHES INTO HIS HEAD.
INT. IMHOTEP'S CHAMBER - DAY
Our Heroes clear the dirt off the top of the sarcophagus,
revealing a single, ominous hieroglyph. Evelyn stares at it
Jonathan impatiently strums his fingers across the lid.
JONATHAN
Well?... Who is it?
Evelyn stares at the hieroglyph, confused and concerned.
EVELYN
'He that shall not be named.'
O'Connell dusts off the huge LOCK
O'CONNELL
There's some sort of lock here. You
say these thing's are made of granite
with a steel interior?
EVELYN
Quarried granite with a cobalt lining.
JONATHAN
Whoever's in here, sure wasn't getting
out.
O'CONNELL
No kiddin', without a key, it'll
take us a month to crack this thing,
EVELYN
A key! That's it! That's what he was
talking about.
O'CONNELL
Who was talking about what?
Evelyn starts rummaging through the pack on Jonathan's back.
EVELYN
The man on the barge. The one with
the hook, he was looking for a key.
Evelyn pulls out the key/box. Jonathan tries to take it back.
JONATHAN
Hey that's mine!
Evelyn slaps his hand and quickly unfolds the box, -- it's
now shaped exactly like the LOCK'S KEYHOLE. Evelyn smiles.
And that's when they hear the Warden's SCREAMS echoing through
the labyrinth. All three of them turn and take-off running.
INT. LABYRINTH - DAY
The Warden is SCREAMING and dancing insanely around the
labyrinth, totally freaked from the extreme pain in his head.
O'Connell, Evelyn and Jonathan run up just as the Warden
starts RIPPING his own hair out of his head. O'Connell and
Jonathan grab at the Warden's hands, but he's far too crazed,
he shoves them aside, runs full bore down the length of the
labyrinth and SLAMS his head straight into a rock wall. The
Warden drops to the ground. Dead as lead. Eyes wide open.
O'Connell, Evelyn and Jonathan just stand there staring,
breathing hard, wide-eyed themselves...
EXT. BASE CAMP - NIGHT
Evelyn and Jonathan are nuzzled up to a campfire.
EVELYN
What do you suppose killed him?
JONATHAN
Did you ever see him eat?
O'Connell comes up over some rocks.
O'CONNELL
Seems the Americans had a little
misadventure of their own today,
three of their diggers were killed.
EVELYN
How?
O'CONNELL
Salt acid. Pressurized salt acid.
Some sort of ancient booby-trap.
JONATHAN
Maybe this place really is cursed.
A GUST OF WIND blows through the camp.
The campfire FLICKERS O'Connell and Jonathan share a nervous
look. Evelyn laughs.
EVELYN
You two!
O'CONNELL
You don't believe in curses, huh?
EVELYN
No. I believe if I can see it and I
can touch it, then it's real. That's
what I believe.
O'Connell cocks his rifle, KA-CHANK! Gives her a big grin.
O'CONNELL
I believe in being prepared.
Jonathan opens the Warden's POUCH, the one that held the
scarabs. He reaches in, starts scrounging around. WE SLOWLY
PUSH IN. Waiting for the attack. THE MUSIC BUILDS. And then, --
Jonathan SCREAMS in pain and RIPS his hand back out of the
pouch. O'Connell and Evelyn both jump.
O'CONNELL/EVELYN
WHAT?! WHAT IS IT?!
Jonathan sucks his finger, then reaches back into the pouch
and pulls out a LIQUOR BOTTLE, the top has been chipped off.
JONATHAN
Seagrams!
Jonathan smiles at the bottle, then turns the pouch inside
out and shakes it, nothing but SAND is inside it.
JONATHAN
Well, he may have been a stinky
fellow,... but he had good taste.
Jonathan takes a swig. O'Connell and Evelyn laugh, guiltily
And then O'Connell suddenly kneels down and sticks his ear
to the sand. Evelyn and Jonathan watch him. A BEAT. And then
a BARAGE OF GUNFIRE IS HEARD coming from the American camp.
O'Connell jumps up and throws the elephant gun to Evelyn.
O'CONNELL
Stay here!
He takes off running through the ruins. Evelyn immediately
gets up and runs after him. Jonathan grabs a gun, holds the
bottle of Seagrams; tight and dashes after her.
JONATHAN
Evy! Excuse me! But didn't the man
just say -- !
EXT. AMERICAN CAMP - NIGHT
The American camp is under siege. Two dozen MUMIA RIDERS
gallop through. FIRING RIFLES. Several Diggers are killed as
they run. The Americans leap out of their tents FIRING. Kill
multiple Riders. Daniels is shot, spins and falls, keeps
SHOOTING. Henderson and Burns run to his aid, BLASTING AWAY.
O'Connell races through the ruins and SLAMS right into Beni,
who is obviously trying to high-tail-it out of there.
O'CONNELL
Goin' somewhere?
BENI
Just looking for you, O'Connell! I
wanted to be with my friend!
O'Connell drags him back towards the American camp.
O'CONNELL
C'mon, friend.
BENI
(struggling)
Why do you like to fight so much?
O'CONNELL
'Cause I look good doin, it.
Ardeth Ray gallops through the camp, cutting Diggers down
with his scimitar. O'Connell runs up on top of some rocks,
LEAPS OUT and TACKLES him off his horse. The two men SLAM to
the ground. O'Connell spins up onto one knee and FIRES, point
blank. Blows the scimitar out of Ardeth Ray's hand. O'Connell
is about to shoot again when a horse rides up between them.
A scimitar swoops down, almost takes O'Connell's head off,
misses him by an inch. O'Connell leaps up and blows the Rider
off his mount. The horse BOLTS. -- But Ardeth Ray is gone.
Evelyn hides behind some rocks, watching the scene, suddenly,
she hears something coming up behind her and spins around.
A vicious tattooed Mumia Rider races at her. Evelyn quickly
backpedals over the rocks, terrified. The Mumia Rider raises
his scimitar, about to strike.
Evelyn SCREAMS, trips over a rock and FIRES the elephant
gun, -- BLAM! Blows the Rider off his mount and CATAPULTS
him twenty feet back into some ruins.
At the same time, the kick blows Evelyn off her feet and
over a ridge. She FLAILS through the air and lands in a sand
dune.
Jonathan and some Diggers are holding their own near the
temple door. Four Riders come CHARGING right at them.
Jonathan takes a swig off the Seagrams.
JONATHAN
Let 'em have it, boys!
Jonathan and the Diggers OPEN FIRE. When the smoke clears,
the Riders are either dead or gone. Jonathan grins.
JONATHAN
I say, bloody good show.
And then several more Mumia leap off the temple and land
behind them. Jonathan and the remaining Diggers spin around
and suddenly find themselves in hand-to-hand combat.
O'Connell is quickly loading his pistol. He hears something
THUNDERING UP behind him. He spins around just as Ardeth Ray
on a horse swings his scimitar. O'Connell instinctively raises
his hands to protect his face, the scimitar STRIKES!
Hits his gun, -- CHING! O'Connell's gun flips away. Disarmed,
O'Connell dives and rolls and suddenly comes up with a stick
of dynamite in his hand. He shoves the fuse into a fire. It
IGNITES. He faces Ardeth Ray, towering above him. The two
men lock eyes. The fuse continues to burn down. Ardeth Ray
points his scimitar at O'Connell's head.
ARDETH RAY
LEAVE THIS PLACE!... LEAVE THIS PLACE
OR DIE!
Ardeth Ray GALLOPS OFF. The remaining Mumia Riders race after
him, vanishing into the night. O'Connell watches them leave,
then turns to the burning fuse,... and blows it out. Evelyn
staggers up, looking very shaken. O'Connell gently takes her
and holds her close.
O'CONNELL
You alright?
Evelyn looks up into his strong eyes. It's the first time
he's shown genuine concern for her. And she likes it. He's
also holding her a little too close. And she likes that too.
EVELYN
Yes,... fine,... thank you.
Beni crawls out from under some pillars as Henderson and
Burns help Daniels to his feet.
DANIELS
See! That proves it! Old Seti's
fortune's gotta be under this sand!
HENDERSON
For them to protect it like this,
you just know there's got to be
treasure down there.
O'Connell looks up into the surrounding ridges, unsatisfied.
O'CONNELL
These men are a desert people. They
value water, not gold.
Evelyn looks at O'Connell, suddenly very worried.
EVELYN
Where's Jonathan?
EXT. BASE CAMP - NIGHT
Jonathan falls into FRAME. Hits the ground. Eyes wide open.
Mouth agape. Clearly dead. A BEAT. And then his eyes close
and his mouth widens into a goofy smile. Shit-faced drunk.
O'Connell and Evelyn laugh, both half-in-the-bag themselves,
the bottle of Seagrams is almost gone. O'Connell offers the
bottle to Evelyn, she waves it away, slurring badly --
EVELYN
Unlike my brother, sir, I know when
to say no.
O'Connell polishes off the bottle and chucks it away.
O'CONNELL
Unlike your brother, Miss, you I
don't get. You're a whole new brew.
EVELYN
I know, you're wondering, what's a
place like me doing in a girl like
this?
O'CONNELL
Something like that.
EVELYN
Egypt is in my blood. My father was
a famous explorer, he loved Egypt so
much that he married an Egyptian. My
mother! Who was quite an adventurer
herself
O'CONNELL
Okay, I get your father, I get your
mother and I get your brother, but
what are you doing here?
Evelyn is insulted, she staggers to her feet.
EVELYN
I may not be an explorer, or an
adventurer, or a treasure hunter, or
a gunfighter! Mister O'Connell But
I'm proud of what I am.
O'CONNELL
And what is that?
Evelyn plops back down beside him, really drunk, she grins
and proudly lifts her head high.
EVELYN
...I am a librarian!
She leans in, very close to his face, looks him in the eyes,
EVELYN
I'm going to kiss you, Mister
O'Connell.
O'CONNELL
No you're not.
EVELYN
I'm not?
O'CONNELL
Not unless you call me Rick.
EVELYN
Why would I do that?
O'CONNELL
Because that's my name.
She gives him a goofy smile. He leans forward and KISSES
HER. Evelyn's eyes slowly close. And then she passes out,
slumping into his arms. O'Connell looks down at her, and
just smiles.
INT. IMHOTEP'S CHAMBER - DAY
Evelyn's HAND slips the KEY into the sarcophagus, lock and
turns it. A series of STRANGE MECHANICAL-LIKE SOUNDS are
heard, and then the sarcophagus unlocks with a GIANT HISS.
O'Connell, Evelyn and Jonathan all look very, very hungover.
They start to slide the heavy lid off the sarcophagus.
PUSHING, SHOVING and GROANING, the lid budging, inch by inch.
EVELYN
I can't believe I allowed the two of
you to get me drunk.
JONATHAN
Don't blame me, I don't even remember
being there.
EVELYN
Well neither do I, thank you.
O'Connell gives her a hurt look.
O'CONNELL
You don't?
Evelyn gives O'Connell a nervous look.
EVELYN
No... Why?... Should I?
O'CONNELL
Gee, yeah, you told me it was the
best time you ever had.
O'Connell gives her a big cheesy smile. Evelyn's face drops,
appalled and embarrassed. And that's when the lid FALLS OFF
and LOUDLY CRASHES to the ground. All three of them instantly
grab their sore heads and MOAN.
INT. ANUBIS' CHAMBER - DAY
Several fear-filled, sweaty-faced Diggers reach into the
secret compartment. Henderson and Burns hold guns on them.
Daniels has his arm in a sling. The Diggers slowly pull out
the ORNATE CHEST. They set the chest down on the sandy floor.
Beni watches as the Egyptologist translates the hieratics.
EGYPTOLOGIST
There is a curse upon this chest.
DANIELS
Curse my ass.
HENDERSON
Yeah, who cares.
The Egyptologist gives them the evil-eye
EGYPTOLOGIST
In these hallowed grounds, that which
was set forth in ancient times, is
as strong today, as it was then.
HENDERSON
Yeah, yeah, okay, what's it --
The Egyptologist slowly and carefully reads the inscription:
EGYPTOLOGIST
"Death will come on swift wings to
whomever opens this chest".
A GUST OF WIND blows through the chamber. TORCHES FLICKER
All the Diggers suddenly turn tail and run off SCREAMING.
The Americans look at each other, suddenly very nervous.
EGYPTOLOGIST
It says, there is one, the undead,
who if brought back to life, is bound
by sacred law to consummate this
curse.
HENDERSON
Yeah, well, let's just make sure we
don't bring anybody back from the
dead then, huh?
The three Americans laugh.
EGYPTOLOGIST
He will kill all who open this
chest,... and assimilate their organs
and fluids.
DANIELS
Assimilate their organs and fluids?
Ya mean eat 'em?
EGYPTOLOGIST
And in so doing he will regenerate.
And no longer be the undead, but a
plague upon this earth.
The WIND WHISTLES. Torches FLICKER. VERY SPOOKY. Beni and
the Egyptologist share a fear-filled look. Henderson just
shrugs.
HENDERSON
Ah hell, let's open it anyways.
INT. IMHOTEP'S CHAMBER - DAY
WHAM! Imhotep's wooden coffin is DROPPED to the ground next
to his stone sarcophagus. Evelyn is very excited.
EVELYN
Oh my god, I've dreamed about this
ever since I was a little girl.
O'CONNELL
You dream about dead guys?
Evelyn just gives him a look, then starts brushing dirt and
cobwebs off the top of the coffin. Then she freezes.
EVELYN
Look, all the sacred spells have
been chiseled off. The hieratics and
hieroglyphs that protect the deceased
on his journey into the afterlife,
they've been removed. This man was
cursed,... doomed.
O'Connell and Jonathan are too excited to care.
O'CONNELL
Tough break.
JONATHAN
Yes, I'm all tears, now let's see
who's inside, shall we?
Evelyn can't believe these guys. Jonathan inserts the key/box
into the coffin's lock. Turns it. The lid cracks open with a
HISS. They all react to the FOUL STENCH. Then O'Connell grabs
the lid. It's stuck. He pulls with all his might. Jonathan
helps him. It starts to give way. Slowly. Slowly. Slooooowly.
And then it suddenly POPS OPEN and THE MOST HIDEOUS, MAGGOT
INFESTED, ROTTEN CORPSE IMAGINABLE JUMPS UP!
O'CONNELL/EVELYN/JONATHAN
AHHHHH!!!
They all jump back. Scared to death. Imhotep is now the
'Elephant Man' of corpses; twisted and deformed. The years
have not been kind. He slumps back into his coffin.
INT. ANUBIS' CHAMBER - DAY
Henderson and Daniels start to pry at the lid of the wooden
chest. Beni and the Egyptologist watch. In the background,
Beni starts backing away, filled with fear, sweating buckets.
BENI
The curse,... beware the curse!
Beni turns and bolts from the chamber. Daniels spits.
DANIELS
Stupid superstitious bastard.
And that's when the seal breaks, -- A BLACK VAPOR BLASTS OUT
OF THE CHEST. Everybody vanishes into the strange cloud.
INT. IMHOTEP'S CHAMBER - DAY
O'Connell, Evelyn and Jonathan slowly creep forward and
carefully look back inside Imhotep's coffin, creeped-out.
O'CONNELL
Is he supposed to look like that?
EVELYN
No. I've never seen a mummy look
like this. He's, he's still...
JONATHAN
Juicy?
EVELYN
Yes. He's more than four thousand
years old and still decomposing.
O'CONNELL
And look at this.
O'Connell points at the inside of the COFFIN LID, where there
are FINGERNAIL SCRATCHES and DRIED BLOOD all over the inside.
EVELYN
Oh my god, he was buried alive.
This sends a chill through everyone. Evelyn leans in closer.
EVELYN
And he left a message.
WE PUSH IN on a grouping of hieratics WRITTEN IN BLOOD.
EVELYN
It says: 'Death is only the
beginning.'
Jonathan shivers. O'Connell looks around.
O'CONNELL
Where's my gun?
JONATHAN
What are you going to do? Shoot him?
O'CONNELL
If he decides to wake up, hell yes!
INT. ANUBIS' CHAMBER - DAY
The vapor is settling. The Americans have their guns aimed
at the chest. The Egyptologist slowly steps up, reaches
inside, and lifts out a heavy burlap bag. Everyone's eyes
widen in excitement as he sticks his hand into the bag and
slowly pulls out the black BOOK OF THE DEAD, the same book
Imhotep used in his attempt to bring Anck-su-namun back to
life.
EGYPTOLOGIST
I have heard told of this book, but
I never truly believed it existed.
This, good gentlemen, is a most
priceless treasure.
Henderson kicks the sandy floor in anger.
HENDERSON
I wouldn't trade ya for a brass
spittoon!
DANIELS
Yeah! It's supposed to be made outta
pure gold!
Daniels kicks the chest. It breaks open, unfolding to reveal
a lower compartment. Inside, are Anck-su-namun's FIVE JEWEL
ENCRUSTED CANOPIC JARS (one is shattered and without jewels)
EXT. BASE CAMP - NIGHT
The two camps have now joined together. O'Connell and Beni
are roasting chunks of hairy meat over a fire. Jonathan
wrinkles his nose, disgusted by the smell.
JONATHAN
What is this stuff? It smells like
our late friend, the Warden.
O'Connell and Beni both grin. Jonathan looks horrified.
JONATHAN
You did not!?... We're not!?
O'CONNELL
Rat gizzards. They smell bad and
taste worse, but that's the best the
desert has to offer.
The gloating Americans sit down, fondling their jeweled jars.
HENDERSON
Say O'Connell, whadaya think these
honey's'll fetch back home?
BURNS
We hear you gentlemen found yerselves
a nice gooey mummy. Congratulations.
DANIELS
Ya know if ya dry him out, you can
sell him for firewood.
The Americans laugh. Evelyn walks up, sits down and drops a
pile of big dusty BUG SKELETONS onto the ground.
EVELYN
Scarabs, flesh eaters, I found them
inside our friend's coffin. They can
stay alive for years living off the
flesh of a corpse, or in this case...
She shrugs, then looks at the roasting meat
EVELYN
Famished.
O'Connell and Jonathan stare at the bug skeletons, disgusted.
O'CONNELL
Are you saying somebody threw these
things in with our guy, and they
slowly ate him alive?
EVELYN
Very slowly.
JONATHAN
He certainly was not a popular fellow
when they planted him.
O'CONNELL
Must of got a little too frisky with
the Pharaoh's daughter.
EVELYN
According to my readings, our friend
suffered the HOM-DAI, the worst of
all ancient Egyptian curses, one
reserved for only the most evil
blasphemers. In all of my research,
I've never read of this curse actually
having been performed.
O'CONNELL
That bad huh?
EVELYN
Yes, they never used it because they
feared it so. It's written, that if
a victim of the HOM-DAI should ever
arise, he would bring with him the
ten plagues of Egypt.
O'CONNELL
The ten plagues?... You mean all ten
plagues.
BENI
Like what that Moses guy did to that
Pharaoh guy?
EVELYN
That's one way of putting it.
JONATHAN
Let's see, there was frogs, flies,
locusts...
BURNS
Hail and fire.
HENDERSON
The sun turning black.
DANIELS
Water turning to blood.
JONATHAN
And my personal favorite: people
covered in boils and sores.
All the men share nervous looks, really spooked. Evelyn just
laughs at them, then pulls a meat stick out of the fire.
EVELYN
Fried gizzard anyone?
EXT. CAMP - LATER THAT NIGHT
Having just freshened up for bed, Evelyn exits the temple
and steps past the sleeping Diggers. She spots the
Egyptologist, his jeweled canopic jar snug under one arm,
the Book Of The Dead laying loose under the other. Evelyn
stares at the Book, nervously biting her lip, then she sneaks
over, carefully steals it, and quickly tip-toes away.
Lying on some blankets by the campfire, O'Connell rolls over
and sees Evelyn, sitting wide-eyed, staring at the Book.
O'CONNELL
You sure you outta be playin, around
with that?
EVELYN
It's just a book, no harm ever came
from a book.
Evelyn opens the cover. THE FIRE FLICKERS. She and O'Connell
share a nervous look, then Evelyn shrugs and starts reading.
EVELYN
Ahm kum Ra. Ahm kum Dei.
Evelyn continues READING THE BOOK ALOUD IN ANCIENT EGYPTIAN.
INT. IMHOTEP'S CHAMBER - NIGHT
Evelyn's VOICE is OVERLAID as WE START WIDE on Imhotep's
chamber and SLOWLY PUSH IN on his sarcophagus. WE PUSH IN
over the lip of the coffin, then closer and closer towards
Imhotep's rotten, twisted head, until his putrid face fills
FRAME, -- and then suddenly his crusty eyelids Pop OPEN!
Revealing EMPTY SOCKETS. -- BIG SCARY MUSIC STING.
EXT. BASE CAMP - NIGHT
The Egyptologist sits bolt upright. Quickly looks around,
sees Evelyn reading the Book. He gets up and runs for her.
EGYPTOLOGIST
NO! NOOOO! YOU MUST NOT!
He skids to a stop as a strange, piercing WHINE is heard,
coming from out in the desert. O'Connell and the others all
leap to their feet. The Americans run out of their tents.
The SOUND gets LOUDER and CLOSER. And then from out of the
darkness a HUGE WALL OF LOCUSTS SWIRLS into camp and envelops
everyone. O'Connell grabs Evelyn, and with Jonathan at their
side they race for the crevice, trying to fend off the horrid
vermin as they go. Beni and the Americans run for the temple.
The Egyptologist is covered in locusts. He stares at The
Book Of The Dead, looking haunted.
EGYPTOLOGIST
What have we done?
The campfire is SUCKED UP INTO THE AIR
INT. LABYRINTH CORRIDOR - NIGHT
O'Connell, Evelyn and Jonathan race down the labyrinth,
slapping at themselves and picking locusts out of their hair
JONATHAN
Did you see that!? Grasshoppers!
Billions of grasshoppers!
O'CONNELL
That's one of the plagues, right?
The grasshopper plague!
EVELYN
This is not a plague. It's
generational. Every so many years
the locusts of Egypt have a population
explosion and they all take flight.
Evelyn steps forward, something SQUISHES. O'Connell lowers
his TORCH, -- the entire floor is FILLED WITH SLIMY FROGS.
O'CONNELL
Okay,... and what about frogs?
INT. LABYRINTH PASSAGEWAY - NIGHT
The Americans, Beni and the Diggers race into a passageway.
Burns is knocked down, his bifocals skitter across the ground,
they get CRUSHED in the stampede. Burns staggers to his feet,
squinting. BLURRY FIGURES vanish into the darkness,
BURNS
Daniels! Henderson!
INT. LABYRINTH CORRIDOR - NIGHT
The ground under O'Connell, Evelyn and Jonathan starts to
SHAKE. Then suddenly, right in front of them, -- HUNDREDS OF
CHITTERING SCARAB BEETLES BOIL UP OUT OF THE SAND. Start
scurrying towards them. Evelyn SCREAMS. Jonathan SCREAMS.
Even O'Connell almost screams. They turn around and haul
ass.
INT. PASSAGEWAY - NIGHT
Burns staggers down a passageway, squinting, his hands out
in front of him, groping, trying not to bump into anything.
Then ten feet in front of him, a dark, blurry FIGURE steps
out.
BURNS
Daniels?... is that you?
Burns half-blindly staggers forward. The Figure doesn't move.
BURNS
Henderson?
Burns TRIPS, stumbles forward, towards the Figure, his hands
reach out and SINK INTO IMHOTEP'S PUTRID CHEST CAVITY. Burns
jumps like a scalded cat, pulls his hands out and looks at
them, -- HIS HANDS ARE COVERED IN MOLTEN FLESH ROT. He starts
to SCREAM. A SKELETAL HAND clamps over his mouth.
LABYRINTH STAIRCASE - NIGHT
O'Connell, Evelyn and Jonathan race up the staircase, just
ahead of the mass of SCURRYING, CHITTERING SCARABS.
O'Connell leaps out onto a pedestal. Jonathan jumps up next
to him. Evelyn jumps up into a grotto on the other side of
the narrow stairway. The horrible herd of vicious scarabs
scurries between them, their ear-piercing CHITTERS send
shivers up Evelyn's spine. She leans back. THE WALL MOVES.
Evelyn falls backwards through an opening. O'Connell and
Jonathan watch the scarabs vanish up the staircase. Then
they look across the way. Evelyn is gone.
JONATHAN
EVY!?
SCARAB CHAMBER - NIGHT
Evelyn sits up, shakes the sand out of her hair, fearfully
looks around. It's almost PITCH BLACK. She gets up and feels
her way along the dark walls. She rounds a corner. A shaft
of MOONLIGHT filters in through a crack in the ceiling. A
MAN stands in the middle of the room. Evelyn walks towards
him.
EVELYN
Oh thank goodness, you're one of the
Americans, aren't you?
Just as she reaches him he turns around. It's Burns. BOTH OF
HIS EYES ARE MISSING. He stares at her with vacant sockets.
Evelyn SCREAMS in horror and backs away, hyperventilating,
she bumps into something. She SCREAMS again and spins around
It's Imhotep. With two fresh EYEBALLS in his sockets.
Evelyn SCREAMS again and backs away into a wall. Her hair is
down, her face is dirty and sweaty, her blouse is ripped,
her dress is torn, she's never looked sexier. Imhotep SQUINTS.
IMHOTEP
Anck-su-namun?
LABYRINTH STAIRCASE - NIGHT
O'Connell is feeling his way around inside the grotto
O'CONNELL
Damn-it! Must be a trap door around
here or somethin'.
And then they heat MEN SCREAMING, and suddenly, Henderson,
Daniels and one of the Diggers come running down the stairs.
HENDERSON
RUN, YOU SONS-A-BITCHES! RUUUUN!
O'Connell and Jonathan join them as they hear the herd of
CHITTERING scarabs coming their way. The Digger suddenly
trips and falls. O'Connell slows down, about to go back and
help him. But it's too late. The Digger SCREAMS in horror as
the herd of scarabs run over him, eating straight through
him, leaving behind the Digger's half eaten skeleton. Daniels
Henderson and Jonathan react in horror. O'Connell's already
running, races right past them. The others turn and haul
ass.
SCARAB CHAMBER - NIGHT
Imhotep steps forward, -- the sand around him seems to
MAGNETIZE, swirling and dancing around his flaking skeletal
legs. Evelyn starts backing away, horrified, looks at Burns
EVELYN
Help me,... please,... help me.
Burns opens his mouth, but can only GURGLE and MOAN because
HIS TONGUE IS MISSING. Imhotep grabs him, throws him to the
ground and sets his skeletal foot on Burns' chest, like a
big game hunter standing on his kill. Imhotep then parts his
fetid lips, -- A FRESH TONGUE FLAPS BETWEEN HIS ROTTED TEETH.
IMHOTEP
Kadeesh pharos Anck-su-namun!
Evelyn shivers in fear. Suddenly, O'Connell comes flying
around the corner and runs right up to her.
O'CONNELL
Would you quit playin, around! Let's
get outta here already!
O'Connell sees the look in her eyes and turns around, -- at
the sight of Imhotep, O'Connell jumps back in fright.
O'CONNELL
WHOA!
O'Connell and Evelyn start backing away down the wall.
Imhotep glides sideways with them, like a tiger cornering
his prey, the sand around him SWIRLS and DANCES. Burns starts
to crawl away, whimpering as he goes. Imhotep suddenly stops
and UNHINGES his skeletal jaw, his skinless mouth stretches
to an inhuman size, and he lets out a horrific, primordial
SHRIEK.
IMHOTEP
ANCK-SU-NAMUUUUUN!!!!
Evelyn SCREAMS. O'Connell shudders, then, embarrassed by his
fear, he opens his own mouth and ROARS right back at him --
O'CONNELL
Ahhhhhhhh!!
Then BLASTS him with the elephant gun, --BLAM! Through the
SMOKE AND FLAMMAGE we see Imhotep blown off his feet, his
ribcage half torn away. O'Connell grabs Evelyn and runs.
EXT. CREVICE - NIGHT
SAND and WIND whip through the ruins as O'Connell and Evelyn
stumble up out of the crevice and COME FACE-TO-FACE WITH TEN
ARMED MUMIA. The Mumia quickly raise their guns. O'Connell
and Evelyn quickly raise their hands. Jonathan, Henderson,
Daniels and the Egyptologist are already on their knees,
hands over their heads. Ardeth Ray steps forward.
ARDETH RAY
I told you to leave or die, you
refused, and now you may have killed
us all. For you have unleashed the
creature that we have feared for
more than four thousand years.
O'CONNELL
Relax, I got him.
ARDETH RAY
No mortal weapons can kill this
creature. He is not of this world.
O'CONNELL
Are we talkin, about the same
creature? The walking corpse? Really
big mouth? Really bad breath?
INT. ANUBIS' CHAMBER - NIGHT
Beni slowly backs up around Anubis, eyes wide, gun up. He
turns around, -- IMHOTEP IS RIGHT THERE! Beni SCREAMS, backs
away and OPENS FIRE. Six GUNSHOTS perforate Imhotep, but
have no effect except to SPLATTER molten flesh rot onto the
back wall. Beni retreats into a corner, scared shitless.
Imhotep moves forward, his one hand trying to stop the molten
mummy guts from oozing out of the large shotgun hole in his
side. Beni drops his gun and grabs at the CHAINS around his
neck, RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS AND ICONS dangle from each chain.
Beni holds the first one up: A CHRISTIAN CRUCIFIX. He quickly
makes the sign of-the cross and blesses himself in English:
BENI
May the good Lord protect and watch
over me as a shepherd watches over
his flock. And may Satan in all his
forms be vanquished forever.
It has no effect on Imhotep, who continues forward. Beni
quickly grabs at the other symbols and icons, holding them
out towards Imhotep, one after the other, trying to slow his
progress: an Islamic Sword and Crescent Moon necklace; a
Hindu Brahma medallion; a small Buddhist Bodhisattva statue.
All while blessing himself in Arabic, Hindi, Chinese and
Latin. Nothing works. Imhotep's skeletal hand reaches for
Beni's throat. Tears run down Beni's cheeks he's so freaked.
And that's when he holds up THE STAR OF DAVID and blesses
himself in HEBREW. Imhotep stops in his tracks. His hand
lowers. His grotesque new eyeballs stare at Beni.
IMHOTEP
(subtitled)
The language of the slaves.
Looks at him quizzically. Imhotep takes a step back.
IMHOTEP
(in Hebrew -- subtitled)
I may have use for you. And the
rewards will be great.
Imhotep reaches into his tattered robe, and then holds out
his fetid hand, filled with squirming MAGGOTS. Beni cringes,
about to throw up, but then the maggots part, -- revealing a
tiny pile of little JEWELS. Beni's eyes widen. Imhotep raises
his other hand, it holds Anck-su-namun's BROKEN CANOPIC JAR.
IMHOTEP
Where are the other sacred jars?
EXT. CREVICE - NIGHT
Several Mumia drag Burns up, he stares out with vacant
sockets. Daniels and Henderson are especially horrified.
DANIELS
You bastards!
HENDERSON
What did you do to him!?
ARDETH RAY
We saved him! Saved him before the
creature could finish his work. Now
leave, all of you, quickly, before
he finishes you all.
JONATHAN
You're not going to kill us?
Evelyn ELBOWS Jonathan in the ribs.
ARDETH RAY
We must now hunt him down, and try
and find a way to kill him, before
he consumes the earth. Allah be with
us.
Ardeth Ray and the Mumia start heading down into the crevice.
O'Connell yells at them, trying to convince himself.
O'CONNELL
I told ya, I already got him!
Ardeth Ray stops and looks back, deadly serious.
ARDETH RAY
Know this, the creature will be coming
for you. He must consummate the curse.
And until he does, he will never
eat, he will never sleep, and he
will never stop.
Ardeth Ray turns and jumps down into the crevice,
EXT. RUINS - NIGHT
O'Connell and Jonathan boost Evelyn up onto a camel. Daniels
and Henderson throw Burns up onto another. The Egyptologist,
still clutching The Book Of The Dead, gets up on yet another.
They all head off into the dark, windblown desert...
And then in the extreme foreground, A SKELETAL HAND SUDDENLY
PUNCHES UP OUT OF THE SAND, ACCOMPANIED BY THE MOST HORRIFIC,
PRIMORDIAL SHRIEK IMAGINABLE --
IMHOTEP
ANCK-SU-NAMUUUUUN!!!!
EXT. BRITISH FORT - CAIRO - DAY
A British flag flies over BRITISH SOLDIERS manning the front
gate. Our tired, disheveled Heroes saunter up on their dusty
camels. The Soldiers check their papers, then let them enter.
INT. EVELYN'S QUARTERS - DAY
A steamer trunk is slammed to the floor and thrown open.
O'Connell chucks a load of DRESSES into the trunk.
O'CONNELL
I thought you didn't believe in this
stuff!?
O'Connell heads for the closet. Evelyn UNPACKS the dresses
EVELYN
Having an encounter with a four
thousand year old walking-talking
corpse tends to convert one.
O'CONNELL
Forget it, we're out the door down
the hall and gone.
EVELYN
No, we are not.
O'Connell throws a handful of her underthings into the trunk.
O'CONNELL
Oh yes we are.
O'Connell continues to PACK Evelyn's clothes as she continues
to UNPACK them:
EVELYN
No we are not. We woke him up, and
we must try and stop him.
O'CONNELL
We?! What we?! You didn't read that
book. I told you not to play around
with that thing.
EVELYN
Alright then, Me, I,... I read the
book, I woke him up and I intend to
stop him.
O'Connell angrily stretches a bra between his hands.
O'CONNELL
How!? You heard the man, no mortal
weapons can kill this guy.
Evelyn grabs the bra and throws it into a drawer.
EVELYN
Then we'll have to find some immortal
ones.
O'CONNELL
There goes that belief again. Not
me, I am outta here!
O'Connell stuffs a pile of Evelyn's shoes into the trunk.
Evelyn KICKS the lid shut, slamming it on his fingers.
O'Connell YELPS and angrily storms around the room sucking
his fingers as Evelyn follows him.
EVELYN
According to that Book, once this
creature has been reborn, his curse
will spread, and as he grows in
strength, so will his curse grow,
infecting the people until the whole
of the earth is destroyed.
O'CONNELL
Yeah? So? Is that my problem?
EVELYN
(incredulous)
It's everybody's problem!
O'CONNELL
Look lady, I appreciate you saving
my life and all, but when I signed
on, I agreed to take you out there
and bring you back, and I did, now
were even, end of job, end of story,
contract terminated.
EVELYN
That's what I am to you? A contract?
O'CONNELL
You can either tag along with me, or
you can stay here and play around
with Mister Maggot.
EVELYN
I'm staying.
O'CONNELL
FINE.
O'Connell storms out and SLAMS the door. A BEAT. Then the
door opens and O'Connell's hand reaches back in and throws a
handful of frilly panties to the floor. SLAM goes the door.
EXT. BRITISH FORT COMPOUND - DAY
O'Connell angrily strides through the compound. He sees Beni
coming up the path with a MAN dressed in hooded robes, his
face covered by an ornate death mask. Imhotep disguised.
O'CONNELL
Beni ya little stinkweed, where did
you slink off to?
BENI
You left me! You left me in the desert
to rot.
O'CONNELL
Oh yeah,... sorry bout that.
(gestures to Imhotep)
So who's this guy?
BENI
This is Prince Imhotep, High Priest
of Osiris.
O'CONNELL
Oh, hey, how ya doin'?
O'Connell sticks out his hand, -- Imhotep instantly recoils
O'Connell gives him the once-over. Beni quickly covers.
BENI
The Prince does not like to be touched
by other humans. A Silly eastern
superstition, I'm afraid.
O'CONNELL
Yeah, well, we all got our little
problems today don't we?
BENI
He has come to help Mister Burns.
Somehow I feel responsible.
O'CONNELL
Don't gimme that, you never had any
scruples.
BENI
Do you know where I can steal some?
O'Connell fake-punches him. Beni flinches. O'Connell gives
Imhotep a look as he strides off.
O'CONNELL
See ya around, Padre.
Imhotep's grotesque new eyes glare out from behind the mask.
INT. CASBAH - DAY
The proverbial den-of-iniquity. Hard men, hard women and
hard liquor. Lots of deals going down. An OLDER GUY with a
walrus mustache is drunk and talking to some tough customers.
He wears British WWI fighter pilot gear. Meet WINSTON HAVLOCK.
WINSTON
I'm the last of the Royal Force still
stationed here, you know? All the
other laddies died in the air and
were buried in the sand.
The tough customers shove him away. Winston staggers over to
O'Connell and Jonathan at the bar, not missing a beat.
WINSTON
Ever since the end of the Great War,
there hasn't been a single challenge
worthy of a man like me.
O'CONNELL
I've heard it before, Winston.
O'Connell shoves him away. Winston staggers back to Jonathan.
WINSTON
I just wish I would've chucked it
with the other laddies, gone down in
a flame of glory, instead of sitting
around here, rotting from boredom
and booze!
Jonathan shoves him towards another group of unlucky sods
Henderson and Daniels sidle up to the bar next to them.
Burns, now tongue-less, talks with a severe impediment.
BURNS
The drawer there, spectacles.
(tries to laugh)
As you see, I won't be needing them.
Imhotep opens the drawer and pulls out some bifocals. He
puts the bifocals on over his death mask, -- and grins
broadly, his rotted teeth showing through the mouth hole.
BENI
Mister Burns, Prince Imhotep thanks
you for your spectacles, -- and for
your eyes,... and for your tongue.
The expression on Burns' face starts to change, very puzzled.
BENI
But I am afraid more is needed, the
Prince says he must finish the job,
consummate the curse which you and
your friends have brought down upon
yourselves.
A look of pure fear registers on Burns, face. Beni quickly
backs away and runs out of the room. Imhotep picks up the
sacred canopic jar, then removes the death mask, revealing
his hideous, shattered CORPSE-SKULL.
INT. CASBAH - DAY
Three shot glasses clink together. O'Connell, Jonathan and
Henderson slug 'em down, -- all three of them instantly SPIT
OUT the liquid. Half the bar SPITS OUT their drinks as well.
HENDERSON
Sweet Jesus! That tasted just like,...
like...
O'CONNELL
Blood.
They all look at each other, even more nervous.
JONATHAN
"And the rivers and waters of Egypt
went red and were as blood."
A look passes over O'Connell's face, a realization.
O'CONNELL
He's here.
He suddenly jumps away from the bar and runs for the door.
JONATHAN
Who's here!?
O'CONNELL
The guy! The Priest! THE MUMMY!
EXT. BRITISH FORT COMPOUND - DAY
LIGHTNING FLASHES as O'Connell races across the compound,
knocking several Soldiers out of his way, panic stricken.
O'CONNELL
Evelyn!! EVELYYYYNN!!!
EXT. BRITISH FORT COURTYARD - DAY
Evelyn calmly steps into a courtyard carrying a handful of
books. A BLAST OF THUNDER AND LIGHTNING scares her. She drops
half the books. Then a HAND GRABS HER! She jumps again and
drops the rest of the books. It's O'Connell, breathing hard.
O'CONNELL
We got problems.
And that's when a barrage of HAIL AND FIRE slams into the
courtyard. O'Connell and Evelyn jump back. A water fountain
bursts into STEAM. A wooden trellis catches FIRE. O'Connell
and Evelyn run under the eaves as SOLDIERS, SERVANTS and
CAMELS run in every direction, trying to avoid the maelstrom.
O'CONNELL
He's here! I saw him! That thing is
here!
EVELYN
The creature!? Are you sure!?
O'Connell gives her an incredulous look and gestures at the
HAIL and FIRE.
O'CONNELL
Pretty sure!
The HAIL and FIRE come to a stop. Everything goes dead quiet.
O'Connell and Evelyn freeze. And then a BLOOD CURDLING SCREAM
is heard coming from the living quarters directly above them.
O'Connell and Evelyn race up the stairs.
INT. BURNS' QUARTERS - DAY
O'Connell and Evelyn race into the room, past the Servant
who is running out SCREAMING. They skid to a stop as they
spot Burns, or what's left of him, lying dead on the floor, --
HIS BODY IS SHRIVELED TO HALF IT'S SIZE.
Drained of all organs and liquids. O'Connell and Evelyn are
shocked. Then they hear a LOUD MOAN and notice Imhotep
standing on the far side of the room. O'Connell draws his
gun.
Imhotep is REGENERATING: A thick skin FORMS over powerful
new musculature. His tendons RIPPLE. His bones BULGE and
REFORM. His mouth opens to an inhuman size as he MOANS and
CRIES OUT, in severe pain. And then it's over. And he looks
like an incredibly muscular, corpse-like vision from hell.
The 'Terminator' Mummy. O'Connell and Evelyn are stunned.
O'CONNELL
We are in serious trouble.
Imhotep starts to move towards them, staring at Evelyn.
O'CONNELL
Back off, creep.
Imhotep keeps coming. O'Connell OPENS FIRE. BLASTING Imhotep
Bullets RIP through his body. Imhotep doesn't seem to mind.
Jonathan, Henderson and Daniels run into the room. They're
all stunned at the sight of Imhotep.
O'Connell steps forward, throws a RIGHT HOOK, punches Imhotep
in the face, -- HIS FIST GOES THROUGH IMHOTEP'S SKULL AND
GETS STUCK DEEP INSIDE HIS HEAD. O'Connell stares at it,
shocked, then quickly YANKS his fist back out. The area of
Imhotep's face that came into contact with O'Connell's fist
quickly DEGENERATES and DECAYS, right down to the bone, as
if O'Connell's hand instantly infected it.
Imhotep angrily turns, grabs O'Connell, and with no effort,
THROWS him across the room and into Jonathan and the others
knocking them down. Imhotep looks at his hand, the one that
just grabbed O'Connell, -- IT STARTS TO SHRIVEL and DECAY.
He quickly turns to Evelyn. Evelyn backs away into a wall,
terrorized. Imhotep steps up to her.
IMHOTEP
You saved me from the undead. For
this, I shall make you immortal.
He leans in, about to kiss her with his decayed face.
And that's when a WHITE CAT jumps onto the piano, HISSING.
Imhotep SHRIEKS. The balcony doors BLOW OPEN. Imhotep spins
into a BLAST OF WIND AND SAND and SWIRLS out the doors. Gone.
O'Connell, Evelyn, Jonathan and Daniels stand transfixed.
Henderson kneels next to Burns, shriveled body, horrified.
HENDERSON
The curse. The curse.
INT. MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES - DAY
O'Connell, Jonathan, Henderson and Daniels follow Evelyn
across the Ramesseum.
EVELYN
There's only one person I know who
can possibly give us some answers.
They round a corner and come upon the Curator, -- who is
talking with Ardeth Ray. Everybody stops.
EVERYBODY
YOU!
O'Connell and the American's quickly draw their guns. Ardeth
Ray just scowls. The Curator nods his head.
CURATOR
Miss Carnavon. Gentlemen.
EVELYN
What is he doing here?
CURATOR
Do you truly wish to know? Or would
you prefer to just shoot us?
Everybody tenses, guns up. Then O'Connell uncocks his .38.
O'CONNELL
I just saw my fist vanish into some
guy's head.
He slides his gun back into his shoulder-holster.
O'CONNELL
I'm willin, to go on a little faith,
here.
CURATOR
You will not believe it.
O'CONNELL
Try me.
INT. RAMESSEUM - MOMENTS LATER
Everyone is assembled around the tomb display of Seti The
First.
We recognize his chariot and sword. The Curator sits on Seti's
throne.
CURATOR
We are part of an ancient secret
society, the cult-of-the-Mumia, and
we have a sacred mission, passed
down through thirty-nine generations.
For over four thousand years we have
guarded The City Of The Dead. we are
sworn at manhood to do any and all
in our power to stop the High Priest
Imhotep from being reborn into this
world.
ARDETH RAY
And because of you, we have failed.
EVELYN
(appalled)
And you think this justifies killing
innocent people!?
CURATOR
To have stopped this creature? Yes!
O'CONNELL
Okay, let's cut to the chase. He's
afraid of cats, what's that about?
CURATOR
According to the ancients, cat's are
the guardians at the gates of the
underworld. Imhotep will fear them
until he is fully regenerated, and
then he will fear nothing.
Daniels is totally wigged-out, he looks at O'Connell.
DANIELS
Right! And ya know how he gets fully
regenerated?! By killing everybody
who opened that chest and sucking us
dry! That's how!
CURATOR
Yes, the creature must first try and
regenerate, and then he will attempt
to resurrect the one he has loved
for more than four thousand years.
EVELYN
Anck-su-namun.
The Curator and Ardeth Ray look at Evelyn, thunderstruck.
EVELYN
In the necropolis, when I saw him, -
alive,... walking, he called me Anck-
su-namun. And then in Mister Burns'
quarters he tried to kiss me.
CURATOR
It is because it was you who read
from the Book. He has chosen you to
be the human sacrifice needed to
regenerate the body of Anck-su-namun.
Jonathan scratches his ear with the barrel of his pistol.
JONATHAN
This is not good. Not good at all.
Ardeth Ray has been staring out a wall of windows.
ARDETH RAY
Tonight is the full moon. The moon
of Osiris. It will begin tonight.
Everyone follows Ardeth Ray's eyes, through the windows we
can see the SUN, -- which is now going into a FULL ECLIPSE.
JONATHAN
"...and he stretched forth his hands
towards the heavens, and there was
darkness throughout the land of
Egypt."
EXT. BRITISH FORT - WINDOW - DAY FOR NIGHT
O'Connell looks out a window at the British Soldiers manning
the walls. Above and beyond them, -- is the BLACK SUN.
EXT. EVELYN'S FOYER - DAY FOR NIGHT
Evelyn and Jonathan are pacing the foyer
EVELYN
We must stop him from regenerating.
She turns to Daniels and Henderson.
EVELYN
Who opened that chest?
HENDERSON
Well, there was me and Daniels here
and then poor Burns of course, oh
yeah, and that Egyptologist fella.
O'Connell turns from the window.
O'CONNELL
What about my buddy, Beni?
DANIELS
Naw, he scrammed outta there,
EVELYN
We must find the Egyptologist and
bring him back here to the safety of
the fort, before the creature can
get to him.
O'Connell looks at Evelyn, Daniels and Henderson.
O'CONNELL
Okay,... Evelyn, you wait here, you
two come with me.
All three of them pounce on him at once --
HENDERSON
The hell with that! I'm not goin'
nowhere! We're safe here.
DANIELS
Yeah, I'm not leavin, this fort for
nothin'.
EVELYN
Who put you in charge? You can't
just leave me behind like some old
suitcase. I'm the one responsible
for this mess and I intend to be the
one to clean it up.
O'Connell just shakes his head and SIGHS. Totally put-upon.
Then he takes Evelyn, shoves her into the bedroom, slams the
door and locks it with a skeleton key. From inside her room
we can hear Evelyn POUNDING on the door and YELLING.
O'Connell throws the skeleton key to Daniels.
O'CONNELL
Keep an eye on her. If you leave her
door, I'll rip your spleen out. C'mon,
Jonathan.
Jonathan swallows hard and points to himself.
JONATHAN
Me?
CAIRO ALLEYWAYS - BAZAAR - DAY FOR NIGHT
The Egyptologist stumbles through the dark alleys, looking
haunted. He clutches the Book of The Dead in one hand and
his SACRED CANOPIC JAR in the other. Imhotep is stalking
him. A STREET VENDOR turns and sees Imhotep's horribly decayed
face.
He reacts and scurries away. Imhotep lifts his robe, covers
his face, and moves in on the Egyptologist, who is heading
into the bazaar. WE PAN UP TO --
THE EGYPTOLOGIST'S OFFICE - DAY FOR NIGHT
Beni is RANSACKING the joint, pulling out drawers and files
and throwing them on the floor. He finds a silver pocket
watch, shakes it, then throws it into his pocket, then he
starts tipping over bookcases and clearing shelves.
O'CONNELL (O.S.)
Well, well, well.
Beni spins around. O'Connell and Jonathan stand in the door.
O'CONNELL
Lemme guess, spring cleaning?
Beni turns and runs for an open window. O'Connell grabs a
chair, FLINGS IT into his path. Beni TRIPS and CRASHES into
a wall. O'Connell strides over, grabs him and lifts him up
the wall. Beni's feet dangle off the floor.
O'CONNELL
Where's your new friend?
BENI
What friend? You're my only friend.
O'Connell quickly slides his knife up under Beni's chin.
O'CONNELL
Then you got no excuse for living.
What the hell you doin, being buddies
with this creep, Beni? What's in it
for you?
BENI
It is better to be the right hand of
the Devil,... than in his path. As
long as I serve him, I am immune.
O'CONNELL
Immune from what?
BENI
You shall see.
O'CONNELL
What are you looking for? Lie, and
I'll slit your throat.
O'Connell shoves the knife deeper into Beni's skin.
BENI
The book! The black book they found
at Hamunaptra! Imhotep wants it back.
Said to me it would be worth it's
weight in diamonds.
O'CONNELL
What does he want the book for?
BENI
(shrugs)
Something about bringing his dead
girly-friend back to life. He needs
the book...
(looks at Jonathan)
And your sister.
O'Connell looks at Jonathan. Beni seizes the moment and KNEES
O'Connell in the balls. O'Connell doubles over and collapses.
Beni leaps out the window. Jonathan cringes.
JONATHAN
That looked rather painful.
O'CONNELL
(wincing)
Ya know, ever since I met you, my
luck has been for crap.
JONATHAN
Yes, I know, I do that to people.
And that's when they hear a BLOOD CURDLING SCREAM coming
from down in the bazaar. O'Connell and Jonathan scramble to
the window and look out --
EXT. BAZAAR - DAY FOR NIGHT
Down in the bazaar, people are SCREAMING and quickly backing
away from the SHRIVELED CORPSE OF THE EGYPTOLOGIST.
A partially decayed HAND reaches down and takes the sacred
canopic jar out of the Egyptologist's shriveled hand. It's
Imhotep, having regenerated even further. He looks up and
catches eyes with O'Connell. Imhotep grins, then UNHINGES;
his jaw, his mouth stretches to an inhuman size, and then a
huge SWARM OF FLIES comes out of his mouth and races straight
up at O'Connell and Jonathan. They both SLAM the shutters.
The flies SLAM into the closed window and immediately spread
throughout the bazaar. Sending people SCREAMING and running.
EGYPTOLOGIST'S OFFICE - DAY FOR NIGHT
O'Connell and Jonathan look at each other, panicked.
O'CONNELL
Damn-it! That's two down and only
two to go.
JONATHAN
And then he'll be coming after Evy.
They turn and race out of the office.
BRITISH FORT - WINDOW --NIGHT
Daniels stares out a window, watching the British Guards at
the front gate. More Soldiers march the encircling parapet.
SOLDIER
Ten o'clock! All is well!
The lights and MUSIC from the Casbah come up from below
INT. EVELYN'S FOYER - NIGHT
Daniels turns from the window. Henderson sits in a chair
next to Evelyn's door, chain smoking. Both look wired with
fear.
DANIELS
The hell with this. I'm goin,
downstairs to get me a drink. You
want somethin'?
HENDERSON
Yeah, get me a glass of bourbon, a
shot of bourbon and a bourbon chaser.
Daniels nods and heads out. Henderson just sits there, alone,
smoking. He reaches into his jacket pocket, pulls out his
SACRED CANOPIC JAR and fondles it. A BREEZE suddenly comes
in through the open window. The curtains flutter. Henderson
gets up and goes over to shut it. He looks out the window.
The CAMERA races over the compound, into the window and HITS
Henderson square in the FACE just as he's about to scream.
Henderson is lifted into the air by a mass of SWIRLING SAND.
His body TWISTS and TURNS and slowly SHRIVELS as the life is
SUCKED out of him.
Then he COLLAPSES to the floor. On the wall above him, the
SHADOW of the SWIRLING SAND condenses, forming a SHADOW of a
human body. The SHADOW CONVULSES as the body REGENERATES.
And then it's over.
Imhotep steps into view. He's regenerated even further and
looks almost normal now, his face no longer decayed. He steps
over Henderson's shriveled body and up to Evelyn's door,
rattles the knob. It's locked. Imhotep grins.
EVELYN'S ROOM - NIGHT
Evelyn is asleep in her bed as SAND begins streaming in
through the keyhole, pouring onto the floor, forming a large
mound. Evelyn starts to toss and turn. WE PAN BACK OVER TO
THE DOOR: The mound of sand is gone and in it's place is
Imhotep.
INT. FOYER - NIGHT
O'Connell and Jonathan race into the foyer and skid to a
stop as they see Henderson's shriveled body on the floor.
O'Connell runs up to Evelyn's door and rattles the knob,
still locked. He bends down and looks in through the KEYHOLE.
EVELYN'S ROOM - NIGHT
Imhotep leans down towards Evelyn, about to kiss her as she
sleeps. The door starts to CRASH and BANG from O'Connell.
Imhotep ignores it. And KISSES Evelyn. His lips and mouth
instantly start to DEGENERATE and DECAY. Right down to the
bone. The door BURSTS OPEN. Evelyn wakes up. Sees Imhotep's
rotted mouth kissing her. She SCREAMS and shoves him away.
Imhotep's putrid mouth grimaces in sadness.
O'CONNELL
Get your hands off my girl, pal.
Imhotep's sadness turns to anger as he spins around and faces
O'Connell. Imhotep licks his fetid lips. O'Connell smirks.
O'CONNELL
Nice lips.
Imhotep starts to move for O'Connell.
O'CONNELL
I figured you might be here, so I
brought a friend.
He throws the white cat at Imhotep. Imhotep instinctively
catches it.
He SHRIEKS, drops the cat and stumbles back towards the
window, -- which suddenly BLOWS OPEN. Imhotep spins like a
dervish and BURSTS INTO A WHIRLWIND OF SAND.
Everybody covers their eyes. The Imhotep/sand-devil EXPLODES
out the window and vanishes over the compound.
Jonathan aims his gun at the window, his hand shaking badly.
O'Connell hugs Evelyn as she wipes her mouth in disgust.
Daniels walks in, looks at Henderson's shriveled body on the
floor... and drops the martini glasses.
INT. 1923 CONVERTIBLE DUSSENBERG - NIGHT
Jonathan races his big convertible through the streets,
HONKING constantly. Evelyn sits between him and O'Connell,
looking scared and nervous, then she gives O'Connell a look.
EVELYN
You called me your girl?
O'CONNELL
What?... Oh yeah, that was just um,
you know, figure a speech.
EVELYN
I think you were jealous
O'CONNELL
Jealous? You kiddin' me? Did you see
that guy's face?
Daniels leans forward from the back seat, filled with fear,
DANIELS
Shut-up! JUST SHUT-UP! We gotta do
somethin'! we gotta do somethin,
NOW! Before it's too late!
They race into the driveway of the museum of Antiquities.
EXT. CAIRO BAZAAR - NIGHT
A FULL MOON now shines down on the bazaar, still bustling
with activity. Suddenly, a BREEZE kicks-in. GREEN MIST begins
to SWIRL down the street and through the stalls. The people
begin to CHOKE and COUGH and RETCH, as if being hit by a
severe sickness -- it's already too late.
Imhotep strolls through the sickened mob, his face half rotted
off, his deformed mouth grinning happily. Beni is at his
side, looking very nervous.
And then, one-by-one, the people silently begin to follow
Imhotep, their skin now covered in disgustingly hideous BOILS
AND SORES.
INT. MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES - NIGHT
O'Connell., Jonathan, Daniels, the Curator and Ardeth Ray
follow Evelyn as she strides through the museum.
EVELYN
Last month I came across an
inscription that mentioned The Book
Of The Dead.
DANIELS
That book we found at Hamunaptra?
EVELYN
Yes. I dismissed it, because it talked
about bringing people back from the
dead. A notion I was unwilling to
believe.
O'CONNELL
Believe it, sister. That's what
brought our buddy back to life.
JONATHAN
And now he's going to use it to bring
his girlfriend back
ARDETH RAY
And if he succeeds, the two of them
together will bring about the
apocalypse.
The Curator joins Evelyn at her side as she heads up the
stairs, everyone else in hot pursuit.
THE CURATOR
The plagues we have seen so far, are
merely Imhotep flexing his muscles.
Only at the moment of Anck-su-namun's
resurrection will he be truly
invincible.
They reach the display cases. Evelyn quickly opens them.
EVELYN
I'm thinking that if the black Book
Of The Dead can bring people back to
life --
CURATOR
-- then perhaps, the golden Book Of
The Living can return them to the
underworld.
EVELYN
Exactly --
O'CONNELL
So your sayin', if we find the book
made outta gold --
CURATOR
-- And read the sacred incantations
contained inside it.
O'CONNELL
You think it'll send this guy back
to hell?
CURATOR
Correct, And that's when --
LOUD CHANTING is heard coming from outside. They all rush
over to the upper windows and look down -- OUTSIDE: A large,
CRAZED MOB covered in hideous boils and sores comes CHANTING
up the driveway: 'Anck-su-namun! Anck-su-namun!'
ARDETH RAY
It has begun. The beginning of the
end.
EVELYN
Not quite yet it hasn't. C'mon.
Evelyn dashes back to the display cases. Everyone follows.
EXT. MUSEUM - NIGHT
The crazed mob CRASHES into the huge front doors, which are
locked. They pound furiously, throwing themselves at it while
CHANTING CONSTANTLY. Imhotep solemnly comes up the driveway.
INT. MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITIES - UPPER BALCONY - NIGHT
The BANGING on the doors can be heard as Evelyn and the
Curator quickly sort through broken pieces of stone tablets.
The others watch. Evelyn pulls out a large piece.
EVELYN
Got it!
O'CONNELL
Got what?
The BANGING gets LOUDER. Multiple windows SHATTER. Evelyn
talks while quickly translating the tablet:
EVELYN
Since the black Book of The Dead was
found inside the statue of Anubis,
then according to this, the golden
Book of The Living should be inside...
Evelyn finds the translation in the tablet and smiles.
O'CONNELL
What?
JONATHAN
What?
DANIELS
WHAT!?
EVELYN
The golden Book Of The Living, is
inside the statue of Horus.
CURATOR
Which would be located not far to
the east of the Anubis statue.
O'CONNELL
Don't tell me we gotta go back out
there?
CURATOR
If we want to kill the creature,
yes.
TWO HIDEOUS BOIL & SORE-COVERED MEN charge out of a doorway,
SCREAMING. O'Connell and Ardeth Ray grab them and chuck them
over the railing. The men fly through the air and CRASH into
the lower display cases. The front doors suddenly BURST OPEN,
The crazed mob pours into the museum. our heroes haul ass
across the balcony and down the staircase.
EXT. MUSEUM OF ANTIQUITY - NIGHT
Jonathan sneaks out of some bushes and quickly heads for his
convertible. Suddenly, a splinter group of the diseased mob
comes around the side of the museum. Jonathan instantly bugs
his eyes out, starts drooling, and begins CHANTING --
JONATHAN
Anck-su-namun! Anck-su-namun!
The crazed group runs past him and heads into the front doors
of the museum. Jonathan leaps into the convertible, fires it
up and 180's it back over to the bushes.
O'Connell, Evelyn, Daniels, Ardeth Ray and the Curator jump
inside the car. Beni steps out of the museum and sees them.
BENI
Imhotep! IMHOTEP!
Imhotep looks out of the museum from the shattered upper
windows just as the convertible PEELS OUT. O'Connell points
a finger at Beni as they race past him.
O'CONNELL
You're gonna get yours, pal!
Imhotep UNHINGES his jaw, his mouth stretches to an inhuman
size, he lets out one of his horrific, primordial SHRIEKS.
His disease-ridden disciples immediately begin pouring out
of the front doors of the museum and chasing after the car.
EXT. BAZAAR - NIGHT
The convertible hauls ass down the narrow bazaar street.
Crazies start jumping out of stalls and LEAPING onto the
car. O'Connell and the others fight them off, throwing them
overboard. More people JUMP on. Jonathan SWERVES the car,
CRASHES through some stalls, knocking them off, but not before
they manage to open the back door and YANK Daniels out. He
TUMBLES across the pavement. Gets up SHOOTING. Backs into a
corner, FIRING his pistol into the hideous rabble, killing
several, keeping them at bay. His gun goes empty, CLICK!
CLICK! CLICK! But the mob stays back, looking at him like
rabid vultures. Daniels eyes them, filled with fear.
The mob parts like the red sea as Imhotep walks through them
and up to Daniels. Daniels whimpers in fear, tears pour down
his cheeks. Then he gets an idea, reaches into his pocket,
and pulls out his jewel encrusted SACRED CANOPIC JAR. He
holds it out for Imhotep. Imhotep takes it and grins. Through
his tears, Daniels grins back, hopeful that he'll be spared.
WE CUT WIDE: Somewhere in the middle of the crazed, diseased
mob, we hear Daniels give out A BLOOD CURDLING SCREAM...
INT./EXT. CONVERTIBLE - STREETS - NIGHT
The convertible slowly motors down the narrow alleys. WE
DOLLY across the hood of the car from Jonathan to Evelyn to
O'Connell. Ardeth Ray and the Curator are still in the back.
All of them staring out the front windshield. Freaked-out.
Then suddenly one of the hideous ghouls CRASHES through the
windshield! Everybody SCREAMS. Jonathan hits the gas, loses
control, the car SLAMS into a wall. O'Connell grabs Evelyn.
O'CONNELL
C'mon! C'mon! Let's go! Let's go!
They all leap out of the car. But the angry, festering mob
quickly surrounds them. O'Connell quickly reaches into his
gunny-sack, pulls out a stick of dynamite, then reaches into
his pocket and pulls out a match. He looks around for a way
to light it, then reaches over and strikes it across Ardeth
Ray's stubbly face. Ardeth Ray YELPS. O'Connell holds the
lit match near the fuse.
The crazed, CHANTING mob gives O'Connell a wide berth, staring
at him and the others with insane, bloodshot eyes.
And then Imhotep steps through, -- having fully regenerated,
he now looks as young and handsome and muscular as he did
the day he was buried alive. Evelyn stares at him.
EVELYN
He's gorgeous.
O'Connell gives her a look, the match burns his fingers. He
YELPS and throws it down, grabs another match and strikes it
across Ardeth Ray's face again. Ardeth Ray YELPS and gives
O'Connell a look to kill. The Curator shakes his head.
THE CURATOR
He has consummated the curse, now
all he need do is raise Anck-su-namun
from the dead, then it will be the
end of us, and the beginning for
them.
Imhotep moves forward, heading right for them. O'Connell
LIGHTS THE FUSE. Imhotep steps up to O'Connell and stops,
watching the fuse burn down. it's a game of chicken. The
tension mounts. The LIT FUSE is about to vanish inside the
stick of dynamite, blowing it up, -- when Evelyn leans forward
and blows it out. O'Connell exhales, but keeps his eyes on
Imhotep, who extends his hand to Evelyn.
IMHOTEP
Koontash dai na.
Beni steps through the swarming mass, translating.
BENI
Take his hand and he will spare the
others.
Evelyn hesitates, looks around at the huge, bloodthirsty
crowd surrounding them, holding axes, picks and scimitars,
waiting to pounce, then she looks at Imhotep, confident,
powerful, invincible. Then she looks at O'Connell.
EVELYN
Any bright ideas?
O'Connell talks through angry, grit teeth.
O'CONNELL
Sorry, fresh out.
Evelyn looks back at Imhotep, then starts to reach out to
take his hand. Both O'Connell and Jonathan move to stop her, --
but Ardeth Ray grabs them both and holds them tight.
O'CONNELL
Don't do it, Evelyn.
EVELYN
I have no choice.
Evelyn's trembling hand touches Imhotep's: His hand closes
around hers. Nothing happens. Imhotep smiles.
IMHOTEP
Keetah mi pharos, aja nilo, isirlan.
BENI
Come with me my princess. It is time
to make you mine, forever.
Evelyn gives Beni a nasty look, correcting him --
EVELYN
All eternity, idiot.
Then she looks at O'Connell and puts on her best face.
EVELYN
You better think of something, because
if he turns me into a mummy, you're
the first one I'm coming after.
O'Connell almost smiles.
O'CONNELL
Got guts, lady.
EVELYN
Yes, I know, and I'd like to keep
them.
Imhotep suddenly notices something. He reaches forward and --
RIPS THE KEY/BOX OUT OF JONATHAN'S UPPER JACKET POCKET.
JONATHAN
Hey that's mine -- !
Ardeth Ray holds Jonathan back. Imhotep pulls Evelyn away.
O'Connell can't take it anymore, he tries to break free of
Ardeth Ray's grip.
O'CONNELL
Evelyn!
The huge, powerful man holds him tight.
ARDETH RAY
Be calm. There is still time. We can
stop him yet.
The crowd parts for Imhotep and Evelyn. And then Imhotep
stops and looks back at O'Connell.
IMHOTEP
Pared oos.
Evelyn SCREAMS.
EVELYN
NOOO!!
Beni smiles.
BENI
Kill them.
Imhotep pulls her away. O'Connell breaks free of Ardeth Ray's
grip and stumbles forward.
O'CONNELL
EVELYN!
But the rabid vultures are already moving in for the kill.
O'Connell quickly bends down, pulls open a CISTERN/MANHOLE
COVER and shoves Jonathan down inside it, then jumps in after
him. The Curator pushes Ardeth Ray towards the cistern hole.
CURATOR
Go! Find a way! Kill the creature!
The Curator turns and throws himself at the mob as Ardeth
Ray crawls down into the hole. The mob tears the Curator
apart.
INT. CATACOMBS - NIGHT
O'Connell, Jonathan and Ardeth Ray slosh their way down the
watery catacomb, crazies pouring in behind them. Up ahead, a
LIGHT suddenly shines in from another cistern hole, and then
more of the infected crowd drop down, SCREECHING like rats.
O'Connell jags right, pushing Jonathan and Ardeth Ray ahead
of him, he strikes a match off the wall, lights the nubby
fuse on a stick of dynamite, throws it, and runs like hell.
FIRE BLAST incinerates a bunch of crazies.
STREET - ALLEY - NIGHT
The EXPLOSION blows a cistern cover fifty feet into the air,
followed by a mass of FLAMMAGE...
EXT. ALLEY - NIGHT
A sewer grate is kicked out of a wall. O'Connell, Jonathan
and Ardeth Ray climb out of the hole and into AN ALLEY.
O'CONNELL
We gotta get her back.
JONATHAN
I'm with you, old man. No one touches
my sister like that and gets away
with it.
O'Connell looks at Ardeth Ray.
O'CONNELL
You know where he's taking her?
ARDETH RAY
Yes. To Hamunaptra. To perform the
ritual.
Jonathan looks worried.
JONATHAN
And what ritual would that be?
ARDETH RAY
The ritual to bring the body of Anck-
su-namun back to life.
JONATHAN
And how does one do that?
ARDETH RAY
By reading the Book Of The Dead.
JONATHAN
Oh yes, of course.
ARDETH RAY
And then killing your sister.
JONATHAN
Excuse me?
Ardeth Ray looks at O'Connell.
ARDETH RAY
Imhotep is now able to cross the
desert with great haste.
Jonathan taps him in the shoulder.
JONATHAN
Begging your pardon, but I wasn't
quite clear on that last part.
Ardeth Ray ignores him.
ARDETH RAY
If he arrives before us, it will be
too late.
JONATHAN
Did you say 'kill' my sister?
O'Connell smiles.
O'CONNELL
I know how to beat him to it.
And on that WE SMASH CUT TO -- THE ERFOUD DUNES - DAWN
Jonathan's bashed-in convertible steams it's way up to a set
of semi-abandoned Quonset huts. A single WWI BIPLANE with
R.A.F. INSIGNIAS sits in the sand beside them. A SIGN READS:
HIS MAJESTY'S ROYAL AIR CORP
EXT. QUONSET HUT - DUNES - MINUTES LATER
O'Connell, Jonathan and Ardeth Ray stand before Winston
Havlock, the massive dunes of Erfoud as our background.
WINSTON
So what's your little problem got to
do with His Majesty's Royal Air Corp?
O'CONNELL
Not a god-damned thing.
Winston looks intrigued.
WINSTON
Is it dangerous?
O'CONNELL
You probably won't live through it.
This really interests him.
WINSTON
By Jove, do you really think so?
JONATHAN
Everybody else we've bumped into has
died, why not you?
Winston nods his head, he's hooked.
WINSTON
So what's the challenge then?
O'CONNELL
To save the damsel in distress, kill
the bad guy and steal his treasure.
A slow grin spreads across Winston's face, then he gives
them a snappy salute.
WINSTON
Winston Havlock at your service,
sir!
SAHARA - DAY
Way off across the desert, a large SAND-DEVIL races over the
dunes. The SANDY WHIRLWIND comes to a stop and starts to
dissipate. Evelyn and Beni are suddenly ejected out of it,
they land in a dune. The SWIRLING SAND CONDENSES AND FORMS
INTO IMHOTEP. He looks up into the sky, listening carefully.
Evelyn shakes the sand out of her hair and looks at Beni.
EVELYN
What just happened?
BENI
All I remember is him turning into a
blast of sand,... and then I remember
nothing.
Then they hear a plane in the sky and look up.
INT. BIPLANE - DAY
The WIND whips at Winston in the cockpit. O'Connell sits in
the gunner's compartment. Jonathan is strapped spread-eagle
across the left wing, Ardeth Ray is tied tight to the right.
Both men are scared out of their wits and SCREAMING in fear.
EXT. SAHARA - DAY
Imhotep's jaw UNHINGES, his mouth opens to an inhuman size,
he lets fly with another one of his horrible SHRIEKS. -- And
a massive WALL OF SAND rises up out of the desert
BIPLANE - DAY
O'Connell watches the desert below him come alive and rise
up towards the plane. Winston looks over the side and sees
what's coming. He laughs, throws the throttle, and puts the
plane into a dive.
WINSTON
Hang on, men!
WE GO WIDE AS: The sandstorm chases the diving, twisting
biplane. Getting closer and closer, about to engulf it.
O'Connell looks back into the blinding sand and sees a GIANT
FACE forming inside the sandstorm. It's Imhotep. Grinning.
O'Connell grabs the Lewis machine-gun, cocks the bracket and
FIRES, blasting away at Imhotep's giant face inside the
sandstorm. Imhotep's face begins to laugh, then his jaw
unhinges, his mouth opens wide, and he ENGULFS the plane.
Winston blindly fights for control, elated.
WINSTON
We're going down!
The biplane SPINS inside the BLOWING SAND. Engines ROARING.
Wind HOWLING. Jonathan and Ardeth Ray SCREAMING. Winston
Havlock LAUGHING.
WINSTON
Here I come, laddies!
O'Connell braces himself for impact,
SAHARA - DAY
Evelyn leaps to her feet and runs over to Imhotep.
EVELYN
Stop it! You'll kill them!
Imhotep grabs her, pulls her close, her beautiful eyes stare
into his shockingly intense ones. Then he kisses her, hard.
Evelyn's eyes widen, stunned and mesmerized, then she pushes
herself away and falls back into the sand. Imhotep laughs.
EXT. BIPLANE - DUNES - DAY
The biplane SMASHES over a dune, ROLLS OVER and CRASHES upside-
down into another dune. The SAND SWIRLS as O'Connell falls
out of the gunner's compartment. The left wing is jammed
into the dune, Jonathan hangs upside down.
JONATHAN
Excuse me... A little help would be
useful... IF IT'S NOT TOO MUCH
TROUBLE!!
O'Connell goes to help Jonathan. Ardeth Ray stumbles over to
the gunner's compartment and tears the Lewis gun off it's
mount. He throws the machine-gun over one shoulder, a
cartridge belt over the other and staggers away. O'Connell
and Jonathan look into the cockpit. Winston Havlock is dead.
A smile on his face. The plane suddenly starts to move, the
sand sinks under their feet, they quickly high-tail-it away.
O'Connell, Jonathan and Ardeth Ray make it to some rocks and
look back. The biplane, with Winston Havlock inside, slides
away over a dune. O'Connell gives it a salute. The plane
vanishes over the dune and into the SWIRLING SAND...
HAMUNAPTRA - DAY
O'Connell, Jonathan and Ardeth Ray come down a ravine in the
volcano and look out over the ruins of Hamunaptra.
O'CONNELL
Okay, now what the hell does this
Horus guy look like?
JONATHAN
He's a big fellow with pointy ears
and a face like a falcon.
O'CONNELL
Got it.
HAMUNAPTRA STAIRWAY - DAY
Carrying TORCHES, O'Connell, Jonathan and Ardeth Ray make
their way down a long, winding, narrow staircase. Heading
into the bowels of the necropolis. A passageway to hell.
NECROPOLIS - DAY
Evelyn follows Imhotep into the underground cemetery. She
stops at the sight of all the big hairy rats scurrying through
the mausoleums and over the gravestones. Beni shoves his
rifle into her back and pushes her forward.
BENI
Keep moving.
Evelyn gives him a look.
EVELYN
You know, nasty little fellows such
as yourself, always get their
comeuppance.
Beni suddenly looks worried.
BENI
Yeah?
EVELYN
Oh yes, always.
Beni looks even more worried, he nervously starts chewing on
his lip. All three of them walk over the bridge crossing the
disgusting DETRITUS MOAT. Evelyn looks down at it, horrified.
INT. PASSAGEWAY - DAY
O'Connell and Ardeth Ray are busy digging out a collapsed
doorway. Jonathan notices an AMETHYST SCARAB on the far wall.
JONATHAN
I say, look at that.
He walks over and tries to jiggle it free. It comes loose in
his hand. He looks at the scarab in his palm. It starts to
glow. And then something inside it starts to WIGGLE.
JONATHAN
Say, gents! You should come have a
look at this.
The wiggling continues; a long, agonizing BEAT, and then the
scarab breaks out of it's cocoon and instantly BURROWS into
Jonathan's palm. Jonathan starts to freak out and SCREAM.
O'Connell runs up and rips the arm off Jonathan's shirt. The
scarab is now BURROWING UP JONATHAN'S ARM. O'Connell whips
out his butterfly-knife, snaps it open and grabs Jonathan's
arm. Jonathan's eyes widen in terror as the knife passes in
front of his face. Jonathan SCREAMS LOUDER, obviously being
cut open. O'Connell's hand flicks something away.
The scarab hits the floor and immediately starts scurrying
back towards Jonathan, wanting to finish the job.
O'Connell pulls out his gun and blows it away, -- BLAM!
INT. CEMETERY - DAY
The GUNSHOT echoes into the cemetery as Imhotep, Evelyn and
Beni step-up to the strange ALTAR, where four thousand years
ago Imhotep tried to bring Anck-su-namun back to life.
Imhotep scowls at the sound and angrily reaches into a CANOPIC
JAR. He pulls out the crusted remains of Anck-su-namun's
heart, crushes it to dust in his hand and starts reading
from The Book Of The Dead. Then he BLOWS the dust against a
mausoleum wall, -- THE WALL STARTS TO COME ALIVE.
Evelyn and Beni stare at the wall, both of them wide-eyed.
TWO FORMS emerge from the mausoleum's wall. Horrific-looking
mummified CORPSES. Two of Imhotep's long dead Priests.
They bow to Imhotep, then turn and move off down a passageway.
INT. PASSAGEWAY - DAY
O'Connell helps Ardeth Ray mend Jonathan's wound.
O'CONNELL
From now on, don't touch anything.
Not a damn thing. Keep your hands
off the furniture, got it?
Jonathan swallows hard and nods vigorously.
INT. CEMETERY - DAY
Imhotep prepares the altar while speaking in HEBREW. Beni
holds his gun on her, translating:
BENI
Prince Imhotep wants your heart.
Evelyn blushes, feeling complimented by the handsome prince.
EVELYN
Tell him, I'm truly flattered... but
that it's already taken.
Imhotep continues SPEAKING while laying the four jewel
encrusted canopic jars next to the shattered one.
BENI
He wants your heart and your brain,
your liver, your kidneys...
Evelyn's eyes widen.
BENI
...and how do you say? Those slimy
things, in your stomach?
EVELYN
Intestines.
BENI
Yeah! Them.
Evelyn can't believe it, she furiously turns to Imhotep.
EVELYN
You only want me for my organs?!
Imhotep looks at her and grins, then BACKHANDS her -- WAP!
Evelyn goes down for the count. Imhotep stares at her, cold,
malevolent, then he turns and walks off into the mausoleums.
Beni nervously glances around, then quickly scurries away.
TREASURE CHAMBER - DAY
O'Connell squeezes through a small crevice in a wall and
drops to the floor of a dark chamber. He picks up his
gunnysack and scans the darkness. Something GLITTERS. Jonathan
and Ardeth Ray crawl in behind him.
O'Connell notices a SHAFT OF LIGHT, high above him, shooting
through a small hole in the ceiling and stopping against a
wall next to one of those mirror disks. O'Connell aims his
gun. FIRES. The bullet STRIKES the disk's pedestal, spinning
the mirror into the shaft of light, -- And WHAM! THE SHAFT
OF LIGHT HITS THE DISK AND QUICKLY BOUNCES AROUND THE ROOM
FROM ONE DISK TO ANOTHER UNTIL THE WHOLE CHAMBER IS LIT UP.
It's an enormous TREASURE CHAMBER. Filled to overflowing.
Everything sparkles and shines. The wealth of Egypt.
O'Connell, Jonathan and Ardeth Ray are speechless. That's
when the two mummified Priest-mummies walk in.
O'CONNELL
Who the hell are these guys?
ARDETH RAY
Priests. Imhotep's priests.
O'Connell pulls the elephant gun out of his gunny-sack.
O'CONNELL
I never killed a priest before.
ARDETH RAY
They are evil, cursed, they matter
not.
O'CONNELL
Well, okay then.
O'Connell FIRES the elephant gun. SMOKE and FLAME shoot out.
BLASTS one of the mummies. Blows it's upper torso clean off.
O'Connell pumps the gun, the huge spent cartridge flips
through the air. He FIRES again. BLASTS the other mummy,
blows this one's torso clean off as well. The smoke clears.
The two sets of LEGS keep walking forward, unaffected by the
loss of their upper torsos. O'Connell can't believe it.
O'CONNELL
Oh come on, gimme a break here.
And then the disemboweled upper torsos start to move, turning
over and crawling towards our heroes, who start to back away.
INT. CEMETERY - DAY
Imhotep turns from the altar as he hears more GUNSHOTS echoing
out of the passageways. He angrily reaches into another of
Anck-su-namun's canopic jars, pulls out her crusty liver and
crushes it to dust, then quickly starts reading a passage
from the Book and BLOWS the dust down a passageway.
IMHOTEP
(ancient Egyptian --
subtitled)
Kill them! Kill them all! And bring
me the Book Of The Living!
INT. TREASURE CHAMBER - DAY
A dusty BREEZE blows into the chamber as O'Connell, Jonathan
and Ardeth Ray back away from the mummy pieces. The floor
where they were just standing suddenly STARTS TO MOVE. Two
more mummies slowly dig their way up out of the floor. More
mummies start coming out of the walls and crawling out of
the piles of gold. All the mummies head for our heroes.
O'Connell lifts the elephant gun. Ardeth Ray stops him.
ARDETH RAY
My turn.
Ardeth Ray OPENS UP with the Lewis gun. BLASTING the shit
out of the mummies. They keep on coming. Even more now.
O'Connell OPENS FIRE with the elephant gun, pumping and FIRING
as all three of the men back away and haul ass. The mummies
and mummy pieces follow them into the passageway.
Then Beni creeps into the chamber. He stares in wonder at
all the treasure. Then falls backwards into a pile of jewels
and rolls about.
INT. CEMETERY - DAY
Evelyn wakes up, lying chained to the top of the altar. She
blinks, then turns her head, -- and looks right into the
ROTTED FACE of Anck-su-namun's corpse. Evelyn SCREAMS.
INT. LABYRINTH PASSAGEWAYS - DAY
The elephant gun FIRES, blasting FLAME and SMOKE right into
the LENS. O'Connell, Jonathan and Ardeth Ray race down a
passageway, a dozen mummies striding after them.
O'CONNELL
This whole place is comin, alive!
The men race around a corner. More mummies. They race around
another corner. More mummies. Onward they come. Methodical.
Relentless. Boxing in our heroes. O'Connell and Ardeth Ray
FIRING as they go. Ardeth Ray goes empty.
ARDETH RAY
I'm out.
He throws the machine-gun down and they all race into --
HORUS' CHAMBER - DAY
-- A small chamber. The lower half of the giant statue of
HORUS stands in the middle of the chamber.
JONATHAN
There he is!
They run up to the base of the statue,
JONATHAN
Hello Horus old boy.
O'Connell looks back at the mummies coming down the
passageway. He reaches into his gunny-sack and pulls out a
stick of dynamite. Ardeth Ray taps him on the shoulder.
ARDETH RAY
Allow me.
O'Connell hands him the dynamite and a match, then turns to
look at the statue. Ardeth Ray reaches forward and strikes
the match off O'Connell's stubbly face. O'Connell YELPS.
Ardeth Ray lights the dynamite and throws it down the
passageway. They all hit the deck. The dynamite EXPLODES.
Ripping apart the creatures, causing a CAVE-IN and sealing
the passageway with rock and dirt. Now there's only one way
out, -- another dark, creepy passageway.
INT. CEMETERY
Chained tight to the top of the altar, Evelyn hopelessly
struggles to free herself. She stops as Priest mummies start
surrounding the altar. Evelyn is horrified as the hideous
mummies kneel down and begin to CHANT, -- which now sounds
even more horrific due to the lack of tongues, jaws and mouths
in the room.
Imhotep steps up carrying the black Book Of The Dead. His
hand reaches out and lovingly caresses Anck-su-namun's decayed
cheek.
INT. HORUS' CHAMBER - DAY
O'Connell and Jonathan are digging away at the seams of the
secret compartment, it starts to give. And that's when Ardeth
Ray spots another group of rotting mummies coming down the
dark passageway, heading right for them. O'Connell looks up.
O'CONNELL
These guys just don't quit.
Ardeth Ray grabs the elephant gun and a handful of shells
and runs off towards the mummies.
ARDETH RAY
Keep digging!
O'Connell and Jonathan redouble their efforts, pulling harder
on the seam. The compartment starts to loosen. About to give.
The last time this happened, salt acid sprayed out, remember?
Our heroes keep tugging. The tension mounts...
And that's when a SKELETAL HAND BURSTS UP OUT OF THE GROUND
and grabs O'Connell's ankle. Several more moldy hands BURST
up out of the ground. O'Connell and Jonathan struggle with
the mummies as they crawl up out of the dirt floor.
One of the mummies violently shoves O'Connell away. Another
grabs Jonathan by the throat and starts to strangle him. A
third mummy grabs at the secret compartment and pulls hard.
AN INTENSE BURST OF ACID SPRAYS OUT OF THE SEAM AND HITS ALL
THREE OF THE MUMMIES. The one strangling Jonathan gets it in
the back and drops him. All three mummies melt horribly.
INT. CEMETERY
Imhotep begins to read from The Book Of The Dead.
A large SWIRLING HOLE starts to open in the detritus bog.
Evelyn's eyes widen in amazement and horror.
INT. HORUS' CHAMBER - DAY
Ardeth Ray BLASTS AWAY at the oncoming mummies. over at the
base of the statue, O'Connell and Jonathan pull an ornate
chest out of the secret compartment. O'Connell rips off the
lid, reaches inside and pulls out a heavy burlap bag.
He and Jonathan exchange nervous, excited looks. Then he
reaches into the bag and slowly pulls out the SOLID GOLD
Book Of The Living -- GOLDEN LIGHT reflects off their faces
as they stare at it in wonder.
The elephant gun goes empty. Ardeth Ray takes it by the barrel
and wades into the remaining mummies swinging.
ARDETH RAY
Save the girl! Kill the creature!
The mummies quickly overwhelm and start to tear him apart.
O'Connell lights the last stick of dynamite and throws it
against the far wall. He and Jonathan hit the deck.
O'CONNELL
That's the last one, we better get
lucky.
The wall BLOWS. Debris COLLAPSES, -- but now here's a hole
for them to get out. O'Connell and Jonathan race out through
the hole just as the remaining mummies enter the chamber.
EXT. HAMUNAPTRA RUINS - DAY
Outside, Beni staggers across the sand with a saddlebag filled
with treasure. He throws it over the rear of a camel.
Starts to climb up. Hesitates. Looks back at the temple door.
Licks his lips. And then his greed gets the better of him
and he quickly climbs down and scurries back towards the
door.
INT. CEMETERY - DAY
Imhotep READS from the Book. The rotten Priest-mummies rock
back and forth, CHANTING. Evelyn struggles.
Then suddenly, the strange MIST wafts up out of the swirling
hole and over to the sacred jars, it passes through them and
into Evelyn. Evelyn JERKS as though she's been electrified.
The MIST passes through her and into Anck-su-namun's body.
The CHANTING PRIESTS, SWIRLING HOLE, WAFTING MIST and
IMHOTEP'S READINGS reach a crescendo. Anck-su-namun's crusty
EYELIDS suddenly POP OPEN. Evelyn stares at her in disbelief.
Anck-su-namun's rotted head turns and looks at Evelyn with
empty sockets. Evelyn freaks out and struggles wildly, then
she notices Imhotep holding the ancient sacrificial knife.
IMHOTEP
With your death, my love and I will
be invincible!
He raises it up over Evelyn's chest, about to plunge it down.
Evelyn's eyes widen in horror. And that's when O'Connell and
Jonathan BURST IN. Imhotep spins around and faces them.
Jonathan beams as he holds up the golden Book Of The Living.
JONATHAN
I found it, Evy! I found it
EVELYN
Shut-up and get me off of here!
O'Connell grabs an ancient sword out of a statue's hand,
jumps up onto a gravestone and leaps out over the Priests.
The Priest-mummies stop chanting. The MIST vanishes.
Imhotep steps forward. O'Connell STRIKES the sacrificial
knife out of his hand. Imhotep BELLOWS a command. The Priests
stand up, swords and knives in hand, they ATTACK O'Connell.
EVERYTHING HAPPENS AT ONCE, READ FASTER:
EVELYN
Open the book, Jonathan! Open the
book! That's the only way to kill
him!
O'Connell RACKS and CHOPS at the attacking Priest-mummies,
fighting his way to Evelyn. The skeletal creatures wildly
SWING their swords, trying to STAB O'Connell. Jonathan fumbles
with the book, struggling to open it, -- he can't.
JONATHAN
I can't open it! It's locked or
something!
O'Connell CUTS two of the mummies in half, then swings his
sword down at Evelyn, -- CLANG! One chain breaks free.
Jonathan spots a series of SOLID GOLD, FOUR-SIDED LOCKS along
the binder. It hits him like lightning --
JONATHAN
We need the key!
Imhotep grins, then grabs the KEY/BOX hanging from a chain
around his neck, rips it off and shoves it into his pocket
He picks up the sacrificial sword and heads for Jonathan.
JONATHAN
What do I do, Evy!? What do I do!?
EVELYN
Read the inscription on the cover!
O'Connell swings his sword down again, -- CLANG! Evelyn now
has one hand and one leg free. More mummies attack O'Connell
force him back.
Jonathan quickly starts translating the cover inscription,
but his ancient Egyptian is clearly awful.
JONATHAN
Keetash-something, naraba-something.
Jonathan starts to backpedal through the cemetery, clutching
the golden book; wide-eyed, as Imhotep moves in on him.
JONATHAN
Ebarra im hatu Kashka ummmmm -- ?
Jonathan trips and falls on his ass. Imhotep CHARGES FORWARD.
O'Connell SLASHES another chain. Only one more left holding
Evelyn. Jonathan sits up and quickly looks back at the cover.
JONATHAN
Rasheem Aaaaa ANUBIS!
Imhotep raises the sacrificial sword, about to kill Jonathan.
And that's when the giant statue of Anubis suddenly CRASHES
through the wall -- shades of Ray Harryhausen. Only better.
The god of Deaths, horrible, decrepit STONE FACE stares
angrily down. Jonathan stares back.
JONATHAN
Oh boy.
O'Connell DECAPITATES a mummy and looks up at Anubis.
O'CONNELL
This just keeps gettin, better and
better.
Imhotep leaves Jonathan and heads for the giant statue.
O'Connell leaps over and with one last swing of the sword,
frees Evelyn from her chains. More Priest-mummies attack,
forcing him away. Evelyn jumps off the altar and starts to
head for O'Connell, -- a SKELETAL HAND grabs her! Spins her
around. It's Anck-su-namun's rotted corpse. Evelyn reacts.
Imhotep looks up at Anubis, points to O'Connell, and in
ANCIENT EGYPTIAN commands him to attack. Anubis moves for
O'Connell, STOMPING over mausoleums and through the detritus
moat on his way. O'Connell quickly backs away.
O'CONNELL
Do something, Jonathan! Kill it!
JONATHAN
You have got to be joking?
Evelyn is backing away from Anck-su-namun.
EVELYN
Finish the inscription, idiot!
JONATHAN
Oh.
Anck-su-namun ATTACKS Evelyn. Evelyn fends her off as best
she can. Jonathan quickly looks back at the hieroglyphs on
the book cover, fumbling badly under the pressure --
JONATHAN
Ummm, Hootash im... Hootash im now
what is this last symbol here?
EVELYN
What's it look like!?
Anck-su-namun grabs Evelyn by the throat. The statue of Anubis
corners O'Connell, reaches down and GRABS him with it's
MASSIVE TALONS. O'Connell HACKS away at it. Jonathan stares
at the inscription, slightly oblivious.
JONATHAN
It's an Anck symbol, with two little
squiggly lines above it, and a bird,
a stork! on either side.
Evelyn is being STRANGLED by Anck-su-namun.
EVELYN
Ah! Ah! Ahmenophus!
JONATHAN
Yes,... I see.
The talons lift O'Connell up and start to CRUSH him.
JONATHAN
Hootash im Ahmenophus!
The giant statue of Anubis instantly freezes in it's tracks
and PETRIFIES. It's off balance. Starts to fall. O'Connell
slides free of it's talons. Evelyn SHOVES Anck-su-namun away,
Anck-su-namun looks up and opens her fetid mouth to scream
just as Anubis CRASHES DOWN on top of her, SMASHING HER to
powder and DRIVING her into the ground.
Imhotep SHRIEKS in rage and horror, then turns and angrily
heads for Jonathan. Jonathan, sitting on his ass, quickly
backpedals on his hands and heels.
O'Connell leaps to his feet, sword in hand and runs for
Imhotep. Imhotep grabs Jonathan, lifts him up, rips the golden
Book Of The Living out of his hand and pins him to a wall.
O'Connell runs up and swings his sword at Imhotep, -- WAP!
SLICES Imhotep's right arm off. It drops to the ground, still
clutching The Book Of The Living. Imhotep drops Jonathan and
spins around, facing O'Connell. O'Connell grins.
O'CONNELL
Okay pal, let's see how tough you
are without your right arm.
Imhotep grabs O'Connell with his left arm and THROWS him
half way across the cemetery. O'Connell SLAMS into a
gravestone, bounces off and crashes to the ground. He shakes
it off.
O'CONNELL
Alright,... so he's left handed.
Imhotep is already striding towards him. Jonathan lifts up
his hand, -- HE HAS THE KEY/BOX BACK! He smiles at Evelyn.
JONATHAN
I got it!
Evelyn runs for Jonathan.
O'Connell SWINGS his sword and CLEAVES a big chunk of molten
flesh rot out of Imhotep's stomach. On the outside, Imhotep
looks human, but on the inside he is still a rotten old mummy.
Imhotep BACKHANDS O'Connell. Knocks him twenty feet back.
O'Connell staggers to his feet. Imhotep is right there. CLUBS
him hard with his left arm. O'Connell spins through the air,
SLAMS into the side of a mausoleum. Imhotep approaches, rage
in his eyes. O'Connell gets up, quickly pivots and HACKS
into Imhotep's head. Imhotep grins and PUNCHES O'Connell in
the face. O'Connell is thrown back, pulling his sword with
him.
He bounces hard off the mausoleum. Lands on his feet.
Totally beat-to-shit. Knees buckling. He can barely stand.
Jonathan lifts up the heavy gold book, -- Imhotep's severed
hand still clings to it. Jonathan cringes in disgust. Evelyn
yanks it off, throws it away, then start furiously working
the key into the series of locks, unlocking each of them.
Imhotep strides forward. O'Connell backs into the mausoleum,
swings the sword, Imhotep tries to catch it, -- it CLEAVES
through his palm and deeply imbeds itself into his forearm.
No matter, Imhotep rips the sword away from O'Connell and
casually flings it away.
The golden Book Of The Living opens with a HISS. Jonathan
holds it tight as Evelyn quickly turns the heavy gold pages
looking for something.
O'Connell turns to run, but Imhotep grabs him by the throat
and lifts him off his feet. O'Connell hangs there, a dazed
mess. Imhotep grins, says something in ANCIENT EGYPTIAN,
then starts to strangle O'Connell. O'Connell chokes. About
to die.
Evelyn turns and faces Imhotep and reads an inscription:
EVELYN
Kadeesh mal! Kadeesh mal! Pared oos!
PARED OOS!!
Imhotep pivots and looks at Evelyn, a look of sheer terror
on his face. Then he looks over at the detritus bog. Which
starts to BUBBLE and SHIFT. The SWIRLING HOLE begins to open.
And then suddenly THE SPIRITS OF THE EGYPTIAN GODS waft out
of the black bog and SWIRL around the Priest-mummies. The
mummies all collapse and turn to dust. And then the spirits
attack Imhotep. Lifting him and O'Connell up into the air.
Imhotep lets go of O'Connell, who falls to the ground.
Evelyn and Jonathan fearfully stumble away from the spirits,
Jonathan trips and falls and accidentally throws The Book of
The Living into the detritus bog. Evelyn watches as the golden
book sinks into the black putrescence. Jonathan looks like
he's about to cry.
Ten feet off the ground, the spirits SWIRL around Imhotep's
body, TWISTING IT and TURNING IT and slowly SHRIVELING IT.
Accompanied by the same strange FLASHING LIGHT we saw at the
beginning of the movie when Anck-su-namun was cursed. One
last HUGE FLASH, accompanied by a BLAST OF WIND, and Imhotep
is spit out and thrown to the floor. He staggers to his feet,
he looks perfectly normal. His body is completely intact.
O'Connell swings his sword. Imhotep jerks back. The sword
scrapes Imhotep's chest, -- a swath of blood appears across
Imhotep's chest where the sword hit him. Imhotep touches the
blood on his chest, amazed and horrified. He's mortal.
O'Connell runs Imhotep through with the sword and shoves him
backwards. Imhotep stumbles back and falls into the detritus
bog. The sword still in his stomach.
Evelyn and Jonathan run up next to O'Connell. They watch as
Imhotep gently sinks into the fetid swamp, slowly dying. And
then, just before his head goes under, Imhotep looks up at
them, grins broadly, and says something in ANCIENT EGYPTIAN.
Evelyn translates:
EVELYN
Death is only the beginning.
Imhotep's grinning face vanishes under the black bile.
STAFF CHAMBER - DAY
Beni staggers across a chamber, straining under the weight
of another saddlebag filled with treasure. He spots a large,
ornate STAFF sticking out of a wall. He throws the saddlebag
over the staff and collapses against the wall. Exhausted.
A BEAT. And then the weight of the treasure PULLS THE STAFF
DOWN. Which starts a massive AURAL CHAIN-REACTION.
Beni-backs away from the wall, wide-eyed, filled with fear.
ALL THE WALLS START TO SINK INTO THE GROUND. Driven by tons
of pouring sand. Beni turns and hauls ass out of the chamber.
CEMETERY - DAY
O'Connell, Evelyn and Jonathan look around as all the walls
start to DESCEND. O'Connell grabs Evelyn's hand.
O'CONNELL
C'mon!
He pulls her forward and all three of them race past sinking
pillars. They duck as they run into a descending doorway.
INT. PASSAGEWAY - DAY
Beni scampers down a passageway, the ceiling getting lower
and lower until he has to crouch. And then he has to stick
the TORCH between his teeth and crawl on his hands and knees.
INT. TREASURE CHAMBER - DAY
O'Connell, Evelyn and Jonathan crouch-run into the treasure
chamber. Evelyn skids to a stop. Looks in wonder at all the
treasure. SAND rains down on them. O'Connell grabs her again
and quickly pulls her through the mounds of treasure towards
a SINKING DOORWAY on the far side of the room. The SOUND of
the sinking walls is deafening.
Beni crouch-runs into the treasure chamber. O'Connell, Evelyn
and Jonathan race past him. He joins them as they run up a
staircase. Heading for a DESCENDING DOORWAY, which is already
half gone, it's now only four feet high -- now three feet
high -- now two feet. Jonathan dives through the narrow gap.
Then O'Connell dives through, he spins around. Evelyn dives,
but gets stuck in the middle, about to get cut in half.
O'Connell grabs her arm and YANKS her through in the nick of
time. Beni reaches through the narrowing gap with his hand --
BENI
O'CONNELL!!
O'Connell grabs it, but it's too late. Beni yanks his hand
back just as the top of the door CRASHES to the floor.
Sealing him in. Beni quickly crawls back down the stairs as
the ceiling SLAMS down behind him. He stands up and looks
around with his diminishing torch.
All the doorways FINISH CLOSING. There's no way out. He's
trapped. And then he hears something, and turns around. Over
in the corner, a scarab-beetle stares at him, CHITTERING.
Beni waves his flickering torch at the scarab and backs away.
BENI
Go away.
He stands in the middle of the treasure chamber as dozens
upon dozens of scarabs boil up out of the floor around him.
Beni is absolutely terrified. The scarabs start to move in.
And that's when Beni's torch goes out. PITCH BLACK. A BEAT.
And then we hear Beni start SCREAMING in horror and pain.
And the scarabs CHITTERING hungrily.
EXT. HAMUNAPTRA - DAY
The temple COLLAPSES as O'Connell, Evelyn, Jonathan and a
pack of stray camels race through the ruins. A SINKING CREVICE
DROPS OUT right behind them. Chasing them out through the
front gates. The whole place RUMBLES ominously.
They make it down the ramp as more ruins CRASH DOWN behind
them. A MASSIVE CLOUD OF SAND AND DUST billows out over the
wall and into the air. our heroes and all the stray camels
race out into the desert...
SLOW DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. PLATEAU - DAY
O'Connell, Evelyn and Jonathan stand in the middle of the
plateau, surrounded by stray camels. They stare off at the
sandy, dusty, volcano as it continues to RUMBLE-ominously.
JONATHAN
Well,... I guess we go home empty
handed.
O'Connell looks at Evelyn.
O'CONNELL
Wouldn't say that.
Evelyn returns the look, A BEAT, and then she wraps-her arms
around his neck and kisses him. O'Connell returns it.
Jonathan just rolls his eyes, snorts in disgust and climbs
up onto a camel.
When the kiss is over, O'Connell and Evelyn share a smile,
then O'Connell leaps up into the saddle, reaches down, grabs
Evelyn's hand and pulls her up behind him. Evelyn wraps her
arms around his waist. O'Connell and Jonathan slap the reins.
O'CONNELL/JONATHAN
TUK-TUK-TUK!!
The camels start to move out. WE PAN DOWN: to the saddlebag
behind Evelyn, hidden under the closed back flap, -- we can
see that it's filled with Beni's stolen TREASURE.
O'Connell, Evelyn and Jonathan ride off into the SUNSET.
THE END
|
