Trends in cinema have increasingly ballooned big budget genre movies well past the 2 hour mark, but Mortal Kombat looks set to buck the trend by keeping its runtime under that threshold when it comes to reopening theatres. Read on for full details:

AMC Theatres have posted a runtime of 1 hour 50 minutes for the R rated revivial.

According to previous comments by producer Todd Garner: the theatrical release won't be jumping into tournament action as abruptly as the beloved 1995 adaptation, but the runtime will keep it close to the nineties classic, which ranged from 93-101 minutes in length. That's between 9-17 minutes shorter than the 2021 movie.

The new film dedicates around 13 minutes to a dynamic action sequence set in feudal Japan. The opening scene has been featured in previews, showing an attack by Bi-Han (Joe Taslim) and the Lin Kuei on gardening ninja Hanzo Hasashi (Hiroyuki Sanada). The pair are destined to meet in the modern era later in the film when Bi-Han serves the machinations of Shang Tsung (Chin Han) as the ice wielding Sub-Zero.

The movie will also introduce new creation Cole Young (Lewis Tan): a down on his luck MMA cage fighter with a dragon-shaped birthmark that alludes to a hidden destiny. Through well known characters from the video game he will learn to unlock his "arcana" soul power and fight back against Outworld's deadly warriors.

[Related Article: Mortal Kombat Movie Trailer Delivers Action]

Prepare yourself with the official movie synopsis and watch some of the latest TV spots that promise war & super powers! Then download the MKO App via App Store or Google Play to subscribe to the release day countdown! Mortal Kombat is currently scheduled for theatrical and streaming release April 23rd!

Mortal Kombat will have a brand new protagonist created for the film when it returns to theatres very soon. The public is getting to know Cole Young ahead of his debut thanks to giant-size billboards promoting the film. Take a look:

Star Lewis Tan shared a photo of the billboard on social media [embedded below]. The building sized image repurposes the same artwork seen in previously released character posters, complete with the old release date. The movie was recently pushed back a week.

Franchise rivals Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada) and Sub-Zero have also been appearing on billboards around the United States. The movie's producer Todd Garner has shared two impressive shots showcasing the iconic warriors.

Mortal Kombat is currently scheduled for an official theatrical and streaming release of April 23rd. Download the MKO App via App Store or Google Play to subscribe to calendar alerts and add your feedback to the discussion in the Media & Merchandise forum!

Long-time gamers might be familiar with one under-utilized piece of technology from the 1990s: lock-on technology. This was Sega's buzzword that allowed the Genesis (or MegaDrive) cart Sonic & Knuckles to physically connect to other cartridges to enhance gameplay. Up until recently, it was thought that this was only compatible with two existing games: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic the Hedgehog 3, allowing the gamer to play as Knuckles in those games. This was until 2005, when a user-created patch added the ability to play as Knuckles in the original Sonic The Hedgehog (full story).

Today, a former programmer at Probe (who has chosen to remain anonymous) released the code showing Knuckles was scheduled to be a playable character in the original Mortal Kombat. Some of the details on the cooperation between Sega and Probe are still somewhat murky, but it is apparent that the gameplay was 100% finalized. We tested it on the original hardware, and all of the special moves were intact. Knuckles even has a Fatality. Check out the pics below:

It is unclear why the code, which appears to be finished, had to be pulled from the game. Perhaps it was due to concerns about the violence, or maybe Nintendo was upset about Sega getting such an exclusive.

Update: It's been confirmed. A spokesman from Sega of America, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that it was important for Sonic & Knuckles be released with a rating of E for Everyone. That meant that all traces of the Fatality, or any connection to the Mortal Kombat franchise, had to be removed.

Mortal Kombat Mobile is bringing another new fighter into its epic ranks and its one of the popular additions from Ultimate Mortal Kombat 11! Prepare for a downpour when Rain descends upon the free-to-play app! Watch the reveal and gameplay trailers for a full forecast:

Watch: MK Mobile Rain Reveal Trailer | MK Mobile Rain Gameplay Trailer

Edenia's arrogant demi-god delivers a deluge of destruction as he defends with new passive powers and inflicts soggy combinations that will make the mobile battlefield slick with water and opponent's blood!

Combine Rain's soaking ability with Raiden's lightning for a shocking hydro-electric assault bonus, or rely on Rain's own storm power to stun his opponents and set them up for the spike of his glaive glove -- a new trademark weapon introduced in Ultimate MK11!

Look for opportunities to control the elements with Rain by downloading Mortal Kombat Mobile for iOS and Android via AppStore and Google Play. Share your thoughts about the addition of the Kombat Pack 2 fighter in the comments below and discuss more of what you want to see in MK Mobile in the Mortal Kombat 11 forum!

The upcoming Mortal Kombat feature film reboot has officially been delayed by one more week. Warner Brothers announced the change in schedule to accommodate other releases. The postponement will impact domestic theatrical and streaming release. Read on for details:

Variety reports the late change to the heavily promoted April 16th date is in consideration for Warner's other imminent tentpole release: Godzilla vs Kong.

Success of the monster crossover in international markets has buoyed optimism for tomorrow's theatrical rollout in the United States, So far the blockbuster kaiju big battle has netted $121 million dollars overseas, with a sizeable $70 million dollar taking in China. Warners hopes to avoid "cannibalizing ticket sales" by putting an extra week between the action spectacles.

[Related Article: War & Super Powers in New Mortal Kombat TV Spots]

The impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to be felt, but glimpses of normalcy are slowly returning, with the recent return of trades for cinemas in Los Angeles. Mortal Kombat is still slated for a simultaneous streaming premier on HBO Max.

Mortal Kombat will now officially premier on April 23rd. Download the MKO App via App Store or Google Play and stay up-to-date with the release by subscribing to the calendar. Share reactions to this and other stories in the Media & Merchandise forum. Special thanks to kommunity user gosoxtim869 for sharing this story!