Later this year movie fans will be taken deeper into the conflict between Earthrealm and Outworld when Mortal Kombat II continues the saga begun with the 2021 theatrical reboot. A fresh cast of kombatants joins the sequel, with the first official previews offering a glimpse of Shao Kahn, Kitana and Johnny Cage! Take a look:
EW has the first official pictures from the movie, with a shadowy yet shiny Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford) teasing his newest live-action armored incarnation. The Outworld Emperor glares with burning red eyes, while Kitana (Adeline Rudolph) keeps her cool with an expressionless hero shot, brandishing the character's trademark fighting fans, with a lightly armored costume that bridges a modern game aesthetic with lightly armored bodice that vaguely recalls the much-loved 1995 movie. Karl Urban also strikes a pose, making a case for the highly anticipated arrival of Johnny Cage.
A fiery backdrop also delivers a golden armored Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada) back to us. Re-envisioned as a long dead warrior of the 17th century, Hanzo Hasashi returned to the modern age in the 2021 film and will be one of several characters making their way back from death in Mortal Kombat II.
As in the previous film -- there will be differences between the long-running video game franchise and this latest live-action incarnation. Speaking to EW, Ed Boon notes "[Johnny's] integration into the Mortal Kombat story and universe is a big part of what this movie explores. He's a washed-up Hollywood guy thrown into this magical, ultra-violent thing. Karl, his depiction of Johnny Cage is different than our games in some ways. He's adding his own flare to it, but I think it'll feel fresh. There's like a novelty factor in there."
Despite getting a lot of laughs in early screenings, director Simon McQuoid notes intention to strike a balance with the film's version of Johnny Cage: "We wanted a character that wasn't just completely silly, comic book...It's a character that could instantly go there and become too light and throwaway if we were to lean too much into the kind of cheese"
The article stresses the importance of the iconic fighting tournament to the sequel. According to Boon the movie will be 'keeping score' with "a visual representation of who is winning". All part of an effort to "maximize everything" and go bigger than the modest franchise-starter, which McQuoid is learning from: "What I realized was go bigger, go bolder, don't hold back, and really feed off the history of Mortal Kombat more,"
The feeding tube between source and theatrical adaptation will apparently go both ways, proving Ed Boon has been recruited for more than just talking about the movie and visiting the set. The EW article confirms long rumored Mortal Kombat 1 skins based on the movie for Johnny Cage, KItana and Shao Kahn.
Will Mortal Kombat II be the movie die hard fans are hoping to see? That's something we'll find out when it's released October 24th in theatres & IMAX. Do you like what you're seeing? Drop your first reactions in the comments below and feed off MK's adapted history in the Media & Merchandise category.
