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Ready? Fight! The next movie in the Mortal Kombat franchise is coming to theaters soon – and this is what we know about it.
When it comes to fighting movies, there are so many out there that we can look at that makes us instantly think of some of the best. But for so long, it seemed that we would never get a great video game adaptation of one of the best fighting games of all time, Mortal Kombat. Then, 2021 came around and gave us a great first film – and it wasn’t that long before a second was confirmed.
But, when can we expect the sequel? And who is going to star in this film? Here is what we know so far about Mortal Kombat 2.
What Is The Mortal Kombat 2 Release Date?
As of February 2024, there is no set release date for Mortal Kombat 2, which is a little surprising, but considering filming was delayed for a bit due to the 2023 Writer’s Strike, I believe that we’re still going to wait for a bit until we get an official date.
2024 is filled with many significant movies, from the upcoming Deadpool 3 to the highly anticipated first part of Wicked. The 2024 movie schedule is packed, so maybe it’s a blessing in disguise that it isn’t confirmed to come out just yet.
Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee And More Will Star
With any movie like this, you know that the cast is going to be stacked, and the Mortal Kombat 2 cast certainly fits that bill. Let’s get into these stars:
Lewis Tan as Cole Young
Lewis Tan is confirmed to play Cole Young in Mortal Kombat 2, according to ComicBook. The actor has appeared in Into the Badlands, Shadow and Bone (which was sadly canceled), and Deadpool 2.
Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade
Jessica McNamee is expected to return as Sonya Blade from the first film, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Mehcad Brooks as Jackson “Jax” Briggs
Mehcad Brooks will play Jackson “Jax” Briggs, reprising the character from the first film, according to ComicBook.
Tadanobu Asano as Raiden
According to Deadline, several additional characters were confirmed to return for the second film. Tadanobu Asano will be back as Lord Raiden in Mortal Kombat 2.
Ludi Lin as Liu Kang
Deadline also announced that Ludi Lin will return as Liu Kang.
Chin Han as Shang Tsung
Also, from the Deadline article regarding cast returns, Chin Han will return as Shang Tsung for Mortal Kombat 2.
Joe Taslim as Bi-Han/Noob Saibot
Another character that will be back, according to Deadline, is Joe Taslim, who will play Bi-Han/Noob Saibot from the first movie, again.
Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion
Hiroyuki Sanada will also return in Mortal Kombat 2, playing Hanzo Hasashi again – otherwise known as Scorpion, a major character in the original game franchise.
Josh Lawson as Kano
You thought we were done with returning cast members? Nope, because there are more. Thanks to that Deadline article, we know that Josh Lawson will be back as Kano in Mortal Kombat 2.
Max Huang as Kung Lao
Max Haung is another returning actor for Mortal Kombat 2, who will return as Kang Lao.
Karl Urban as Johnny Cage
Finally, in a new casting reveal, Karl Urban was confirmed to appear as Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 2, according to Entertainment Weekly. The announcement of Cage in the movie was a huge deal, as the character is a fan-favorite, and I can honestly think of no better actor.
Karl Urban is primarily known these days for his role in one of the best Amazon Prime shows, The Boys, but has appeared in several other films like The Lord of the Rings movies and Thor: Ragnarok.
Tati Gabrielle as Jade
Also confirmed as a new cast member is Tati Gabrielle, who will play Jade, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The actress is primarily known for her role in one of the best shows to binge on Netflix, You, but has also appeared in The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina cast, as well.
Additional Mortal Kombat 2 Cast Members
While we have plenty of returning cast members and a few new ones highlighted above, several other actors/characters are coming to the franchise, too, that we should highlight. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Adeline Rudolph will play Kitana, another famous character from the game franchise.
That Deadline article above regarding the several returning cast members also confirmed that Martyn Ford, Desmon Chiam, Ana Thu Nguyen, and Damon Herriman would also be in the film, playing Shao Kahn, King Jerrod, Queen Sindel, and Quan Chi, respectively.
CoveredGeekly also confirmed that C.J. Bloomfield would be playing Baraka.
Plot Details Are Under Wraps, But The Screenwriter Has Said It Will Be “Unpredictable” To Fans
If you’re wondering what Mortal Kombat 2 could be about, we don’t have any clue other than it will be “unpredictable,” according to the screenwriter. Plot details have been kept under wraps, but in an interview with The Direct in June 2022, Jeremy Slater opened up about the film and that it’s going to be something that fans would never expect:
It’s really fun so far. We’re about halfway through the script. I’m working really closely with the director and the studios, and the game guys, and I think—I can’t say anything about the actual story, but I think they definitely learned some lessons the last time around…So we’re really looking at this as a chance to take everything that worked in the first one and do it even better and give the audience even more, and make something that is just incredibly satisfying, and really exciting, and unpredictable. I don’t think it’s necessarily going to have the same tone as the MCU, but it’s definitely going to have some of my sensibilities.
The film’s star, Lewis Tan, even highlighted the upcoming movie in his interview with ComicBook above, saying that it would be “insane” and much bigger than the first, so I’m here for it.
Simon McQuoid Is Directing The Sequel
Something else that was confirmed for the second film is that Simon McQuoid returned to direct, according to Deadline. The director had his debut feature film with the first Mortal Kombat, but directed several shorts and commercials beforehand.
There’s A Possibility It Will Be Rated R Again
We don’t have confirmation of what Mortal Kombat 2 will be rated just yet – but I’m pretty sure we can all make a safe bet and say that it’ll probably be Rated R again. The game’s source material is very mature, and the first film was a hard R due to its violent nature, so I would be pretty shocked and astounded if we didn’t get a Rated R film for some reason.
Filming Came To An End In January 2024
The last thing we know about Mortal Kombat 2 is that filming ended in January 2024. Originally, filming started in June 2023, which producer Todd Garner confirmed on Twitter, but later, filming was paused due to the strike, according to Variety.
However, filming picked back up only a short time after the strike finished, and then in January 2024, it was confirmed by Martyn Ford’s Instagram that filming was done and there was a wrap party for the entire cast and crew.
Urban even celebrated the end of filming with his own Instagram post:
With so much news on this, I believe it’ll only be a matter of time before we finally get a trailer. But, I suppose until then, I’ll live in my feelings and rewatch the first film – or replay the games and have fun.