The Mortal Kombat movie reboot is fast approaching with a newly confirmed April release date set for theatres and streaming. Actors playing most major characters have been reported, but producer Todd Garner has confirmed the identity of one rumored fighter we didn't necessarily expect: Kabal!

Kiwi stuntman and actor Daniel Nelson will step into the role of the game series' Black Dragon mercenary. His IMDB filmography lists stunt work in the upcoming Godzilla vs King Kong and 2017's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, as well as the upcoming MK role. Garner confirmed the validity of the listing via Twitter when asked by a fan earlier this month.

Daniel Nelson looking the part of the unmasked Kabal in his IMDB profile.

Kabal was first introduced in Mortal Kombat 3 as a survivor of Shao Kahn's invading extermination squads. Wearing a hi-tech respirator mask to survive his injuries, the former Black Dragon mercenary earned a cult following as a reformed fighter wielding dual hookswords, and a high-speed dash attack.

Kabal continued to make many subsequent appearances in the series, including unmasked cameos in adventure spin-offs Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks and deleted scenes from Mortal Kombat: Special Forces. He most recently returned in Mortal Kombat 11, where he was once again in league with the Black Dragon clan.

[Related Article: Mortal Kombat 11 Kabal Trailer]

Australian comedy actor Josh Lawson has been tapped to play Kano opposite fellow Aussie Jessica McNamee as the new Sonya Blade. It is yet to be revealed how Kabal will factor in to the classic rivalry in the 2021 film.

Kabal was previously revealed to feature as an antagonist for Jax in a movie reboot written by Kevin Tancharoen. The Mortal Kombat: Legacy writer/director left the project in 2013. James Wan came on board as a creative producer for the latest incarnation in 2015.

Few details are known about the 2021 adaptation, which will also include Mileena and Nitara in unspecified roles. In an unrelated note, Todd Garner hinted that Joe Taslim will wear a costume with "a lot more detail" than fan-art inspired by the MKX Sub-Zero design. Taslim will play Bi-Han in the film.

What do you hope to see from Kabal in his first theatrical appearance? Share your thoughts and speculation in the comments below. Find and discuss more movie news in the Media & Merchandise forum! Special thanks to MK Online user gorostilllives for posting about this story.

Following news that Mortal Kombat will receive a simultaneous theatrical and streaming premier; the upcoming feature film has re-scheduled a release date for April next year! Read on for the full story:

A digital poster [pictured below] has been released by a promotional Twitter account set up to announce the new April 16th release date. According to the poster it will not only debut in theatres (where available), and streaming to HBO Max in 2021 -- but also in IMAX screenings.

Its the second move for the film, which was previously brought forward to a January 2021 release before the global COVID-19 pandemic caused unavoidable delays. April has traditionally been good to Mortal Kombat fans, seeing the release of the three most recent games, including Mortal Kombat 11.

Beleaguered film producer Todd Garner was pleased to finally share the news after a previous false start. He also revealed that the first trailer preview will be released some time in the new year.

Mortal Kombat is directed by Simon McQuoid with noted high-profile production by James Wan. The film will feature an eclectic international cast including Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion, and Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero. Find and discuss more news from the film in the Media & Merchandise forum!

Mortal Kombat and its sequel Mortal Kombat: Annihilation have become recurring fixtures of streaming and digital platforms, but for fans looking to take ownership own the cinematic classic and its infamous sequel -- a new collectible release is on its way! Read on for details:

Retail giant Best Buy has posted a new online pre-order for an exclusive Steelbook Blu-Ray 2-Pack that packages the two mid-nineties movie adaptations in a single collectible tin case!

There's no indication these blu-ray discs are any different to other recent releases of the films, or contain any updated extra features. Since being issued to blu-ray in 2011, the Mortal Kombat disc has included trailers and the animated feature Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins.

The Best Buy Steelbook set will set you back $14.99US with a listed release date of January 26th, 2021, which means you can secure it for the holidays -- but it won't be sitting under the tree on Christmas morning.

Stars of the Paul Anderson directed film Christophe Lambert, Bridgette Wilson-Sampras, and Linden Ashby recently reprised their iconic screen roles for the video game release of Klassic MK Movie Skins in the award-winning Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate. The director can also be seen now streaming in the retrospective documentary Insert Coin: The Midway Chronicles.

Will the collectible steelbook entice you? Share your thoughts in the comments below and check out more movie & memoribilia news in the Media & Merchandise forum!

Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate has officially been crowned 2020 Best FIghting Game during tonight's The Game Awards! The favourite was announced winner by special guest presenters Ralph Macchio and Yuji Okumoto. Relive the presentation right here:

The stars of Cobra Kai Season 3 and The Karate Kid Part II continued their in-character rivalry in a comic presentation filmed remotely for the COVID conscientious The Game Awards ceremony.

Okumoto razzed Macchio for his classic NES counterpart's 'weak karate', and once again got the better of his screen rival by sending a sealed result card while he was able to reveal the true winner!

The MK11 Ultimate update defeated an eclectic field of nominees that included the latest incarnation of the series' own long time arch-rival: Street Fighter V: Champion Edition.

NetherRealm Studios staff reacted appreciatively to the presentation, with series co-creator Ed Boon sharing the sentiments of most fans excited to see the Daniel LaRusso and Chozen actors reunited. He declared the team's fandom for Karate Kid and its recent series reboot via Twitter, thanking the TGAs for the "awesome" presentation.

Cobra Kai and Miyagi-Do rivals also attempted to settle the age old debate between Sub-Zero and Scorpion to celebrate the TGAs and Season 3 of the show. Check that out and find & discuss more news and stories in the Mortal Kombat 11 forum! Don't forget to join us in congratulating the team for their win in the comments below!

For decades there has existed a bitter hatred between two martial arts groups dedicated to opposing styles and philosophy. This could describe the rivalry between the clans of Sub-Zero and Scorpion, but in the Netflix series Cobra Kai its Kreese Karate and Miyagi-do. Two of the stars put their expertise to the gaming rivalry in a clip for The Game Awards. Check it out:

Get over here! @jb_mixmatch & @GianniDecenzo from @CobraKaiSeries debate the age old question, who's better: Sub-Zero or Scorpion!? pic.twitter.com/kNyHMtyI0H

— The Game Awards (@thegameawards) December 9, 2020

Jacob Bertrand (Hawk) and Gianni Decenzo (Demetri) got scientific in their attempt to resolve one of gaming's most iconic rivalries.

Both fighters scored points for COVID safe masks, but Sub-Zero got the edge for melted ice putting out fire. That didn't matter in the end, though. It came down to a PR war: Scorpion just sounds more bad ass. A fair point, even if die hard fans know Scorpion's true nemesis changed it up once he became Noob Saibot!

The clip is a fun promo for The Game Awards and Cobra Kai's Season 3 trailer reveal, but that isn't the only overlap with MK. Fans have long observed Kobra as a blonde-haired tribute to Karate Kid's Johnny Lawrence. Alas, fans overwhelmingly voted in favour of Kai when he met Kobra in this year's character tournament!

Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate is nominated for Best Fighting Game at this year's awards. Make sure you show no mercy and get your vote in now! Then debate more fantasy character rivalries in the Fan Koliseum and catch up on all the news in the Mortal Kombat 11 forum!