Fans have been granted their first look at the upcoming Mortal Kombat movie in an exclusive feature article from Entertainment Weekly. Now you can further digest what you've seen with unmarked photos -- including new images of the Shaolin Monks and controversial Cole Young! Look:

One of the new images appears to show Lewis Tan working to lock an armbar on an anonymous cage fighter in a dingy arena. EW confirmed Tan will play a fallen mixed martial arts champion, Cole Young, fulfilling widely circulated rumors of a featured character exploring a hidden past.

A dragon-like birthmark will take Cole Turner to the Mortal Kombat tournament, where he'll encounter traditional icons from the popular video games, including its Shaolin Monks protagonists. The birthmark isn't visible in any of the photos, making it difficult to know if it ties into a previously seen alternative logo.

The new preview photo [below] shows our second glimpse of Liu Kang and Kung Lao. This will be the first time Kung Lao and his iconic bladed-hat will appear in a feature film, although Mark Dacascos previously played a live-action version of the character in Mortal Kombat: Legacy Series II.

The full body shot of actors Ludi Lin and Max Huang show promising reflections of the video game characters, revealing more of their iconic red costume highlights. Liu Kang's hands glow with dragon flame, suggesting the martial arts mysticism of the games will be represented.

Additional photographs released via the official movie Twitter include repeats from the EW article, sans watermark. Narrow images of Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim), Jax (Mehcad Brooks), and Kano (Josh Lawson) imply letterboxed stills from the movie. Larger images include Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee) and Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada).

Mortal Kombat will be released theatrically and streaming to HBO Max on April 16th. Share your thoughts about the new stills in the comments below and discover more from the movie in the Media & Merchandise forum.

Entertainment Weekly has at long last given fans the first glimpse of the upcoming live-action Mortal Kombat feature film reboot. An in-depth article is part of their 2021 cinematic preview series, which includes many juicy details and first-look photos. Read on for more:

In Entertainment Weekly's article fans will find an expected blend of familiar video game canon and the type of adaptation tropes we've seen in other recent spin-off versions of the franchise, such as Scorpion's Revenge and Mortal Kombat: Legacy.

Completely new to the franchise will be Cole Young: an already notorious character to be played by Lewis Tan, who is described by the actor as "kind of a washed-up MMA fighter who used to be a champion".

True to widely circulated rumors, the tape-fisted fighter does indeed appear to be down on his luck. Also true to expectation: he appears to be an entry character for penetrating established lore, which he may have a hidden connection to per a mysterious dragon-like birthmark. Tan elaborates, "... along the journey of Mortal Kombat and Cole discovering where he comes from, you're introduced to all these other iconic characters and elements that everybody loves so dearly."

Cole knows nothing of his heritage aside from the mysterious birthmark on his chest — in the shape of the Mortal Kombat symbol. Tan remains mum on how this birthmark connects to the character's origins but agrees "it's a unique symbol" that "will eventually tie into the journey that he's going on." It remains the only clue Cole has when the sinister sorcerer and emperor of the realm Outerworld, Shang Tsung (Skyscraper's Chin Han), sends Sub-Zero, now with his cryomancy powers, to hunt him down.

Cole will apparently connect with many of Mortal Kombat's iconic fighters as he passes from Jax (Mehcad Brooks), to Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), and "Elder God" Lord Raiden (Tadanabou Asano), who offers sanctuary at a temple where Kano (Josh Lawson), Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), and Kung Lao (Max Huang) will be training for the tournament. A photo of the Shaolin Monks displays two of the more exciting live-action creations.

As it was in Legacy; the iconic rivalry between Scorpion and Sub-Zero is transposed from recent history to the distant past of feudal era Japan hundreds of years ago. Their battle will apparently dominate the opening of the film, which reportedly dedicates 10 minutes to a violent struggle between Joe Taslim's Bi-Han and Hiroyuki Sanada's kunai-gardening family man, Hanzo Hasashi.

Director Simon McQuoid waxes philosophical in the article about the implications of blood in the series, citing its inspiration beyond the mere stains splattered at the feet of fighters. He describes blood's importance to identity and connection, which no doubt underscores the family tragedy that famously befalls Hasashi, described as "leader of a ninja clan".

McQuoid also explains the aesthetic of the film, which seems very apparent in photos supplied by Warner Bros, particularly in the photo of Joe Taslim attacking Sanada [included below]. "It's not a shiny film… I wanted the dirt and the grime to come through." This rings true in understated costume design and a muted colour palette.

Mysterious tattoos -- or a birthmark, in Cole Young's case -- that provide passage to Raiden's temple may recall Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, but the director reiterates the filmmakers' intent to pay homage and respect to the series' famed lore: "I wanted to make sure that everyone respected the material, the lore of Mortal Kombat, the fans and the love they have for this. Everyone was clear on it"

Key to this homage of series "lore" is also the fatalities the game is known for. McQuoid introduces EW's readers to the prospect of brutal R rated violence -- something we've heard consistently throughout production: "We had a lot of discussions about getting the balance right so there was gore and there was blood and there were fatalities."

Mortal Kombat will debut in theatres and streaming to HBO Max on April 16th. A trailer is expected soon. Share your first impressions with us in the comments below and follow more from the movie in the Media & Merchandise forum!

Television actor John Reilly has passed away at the age of 84. Best remembered for his recurring role on General Hospital, he was also a featured star in the movie-length Mortal Kombat: Conquest pilot in the late nineties.

Variety reported the actor's passing via his daughter and TikTok personality, Caitlin Reilly, who shared a touching message to her late father via Instagram. No cause of death has been stated.

Reilly was a familiar face on American television from the mid 1970s. He made single appearances on live-action genre programmes like Wonder Woman and The Incredible Hulk, before landing the role of investigator Sean Donely on the soap opera General Hospital in 1984.

In 1998 he appeared as Baron Reyland in the opening two-part story "Warrior Eternal", which also aired as a single feature-length presentation in some markets.

Reyland is the volatile father of Kung Lao's forbidden love interest, and the catalyst that brings together the series' three disparate heroes as a Baron of Zhuzin. His trading post becomes the main setting of the series after he is inadvertently killed by Takeda: a guard possessed with the spirit of Scorpion.

Baron Reyland has no direct equivalent in the world of the Mortal Kombat video game series, but John Reilly did reprise his role as a vision created by Shang Tsung and Quan Chi in the memorable Conquest episode Unholy Alliance.

Mortal Kombat Online is very sad to learn of the actor's passing. Fans of Reilly's work are welcome to share their thoughts in the comments below. Special acknowledgement to user Lone_Wolf_Productions_NY for bringing this story to our attention.

Fans who've weathered the controversial launch of Cyberpunk 2077 have been rewarded with the discovery of a surprising nod to Mortal Kombat. An in-game collectible pays direct homage to one of the series' most popular characters. Take a closer look:

The "Yellow Jacket Warrior" statue can be discovered by accepting and completing the Fly Me Away side quest initiated through Panam. You'll receive the in-game reward from a character named Mitch, who calls it a good luck charm carried by someone named "Scorpion".

Mitch hands over the good luck statue in Cyberpunk 2077. [image via @TheJohnorrhea]

The digital trinket bears more than a passing resemblance to Mortal Kombat's Scorpion. It even seems to be posed in a hybrid action-stance similar to the original Mortal Kombat 11 box art and collectible statue included with European Mortal Kombat X Kollector's Editions.

A life-size version of the authentic Scorpion statue can be found at NetherRealm Studios in Chicago. The lunging ninja received a formal unveiling for the launch of Mortal Kombat X, which quickly went on to be the best selling installment in the series. Popularity that might account for developer CD Projekt Red's easter egg tribute.

The Yellow Jacket Warrior statue pays homage to Scorpion. [image via @Xbudz]

Fans eager for a Scorpion memento in real life can look forward to McFarlane Toys' MK11 The Shadow variant this month, or seek out the original MK11 Scorpion where available

Scorpion is also on the cover of Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate -- out now for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and PC! Find and discuss all the latest from the game in the Mortal Kombat 11 forum!

Happy Holidays! Christmas Day marks another year of Mortal Kombat Online and we're excited to celebrate with the launch of a new version of the site that will make us an even better part of your online Mortal Kombat experience!

By now you'll have noticed general aesthetic and navigational updates that compliment many of the changes we've made. The Site Menu is much like our metaphorical mantel -- decorated with Christmas stockings stuffed with plenty of goodies for the kommunity to enjoy!

Fight Klub is obviously a major part of our V9 update. It began with a desire to make the online gaming experience a bigger part of Mortal Kombat Online. The result is a new system that will make it easier for the kommunity to issue challenges, compete for leaderboard ranks, and participate in gameplay analysis and streaming -- both as players and spectators!

You can watch the Fight Klub trailer and find out more to get involved with the open public beta that is now underway. You can also download the new MKO App from the App Store to further enhance your experience with a modified mobile version of the site, and notifications that will keep you informed any place, any time!

Keeping you in the loop is also the function of the new MKO Calendar, which will highlight upcoming milestones and special events with detailed information, and ways you can get involved. You can already celebrate the Mortal Kombat Online Anniversary, or keep up to date with episodes of Survival Saturdays!

Following MKO's Stream Team will be even easier with the addition of the Kasts section that will keep you up to date on what's next for Survival Saturdays and the soon-to-return Fatal Friday. Soon you'll also be able to stream non-stop kombat wtih Fight Klub TV!

We've also made improvements to our long running Kreations section to make it easier to discover, follow, and share your favourite artists and their different works. Galleries will also continue to appear in updated User Profiles alongside various personal links and Fight Klub video content.

Curating your customized experience goes beyond profiles with updates to the Kommunity Forums, as well. Forum tags will help you seek out topics you're interested in and make it even easier to get involved in the discussion by commenting or liking posts. It's like having a forum dedicated to your favourite niche!

Some of these ideas go back many years, even to my earliest days as Mortal Kombat Online Webmaster, and it's been a pleasure not only to see designs and concepts come to fruition - but evolve and expand!

Please join me in congratulating and acknowledging Co-Founder & Administrator CCShadow, whose efforts have built and assembled so many iterations of MKO over the years, and continue to do so! Sysadmin DArqueBishop, who laid the bedrock upon which new systems have been built, without whom it simply would not have been possible! Likewise, the many contributions from Stream Team FataLKaDe & Survived_Kombatants, Community Manager m0s3pH, Co-Founder Scott-Howell, and the many who've helped along the way.

We continue to enjoy Mortal Kombat 11 and look forward to new dvelopments in the new year, as well as the long awaited arrival of the Mortal Kombat Movie! On behalf of everyone at MKO we bid you seasons greetings and a very happy holidays! Hope to see you on MKO soon!