I've stated my opinion before, which is that I'm open to and would likely enjoy a gritty reinterpretation like we were shown.

I love MK and its mythology as much as the next guy. I love the mysticism, the on-going soap opera behind each new game, the betrayals, politics, wars, and revenge plots.

But I don't care how hardcore and loyal a fan you are or how much you enjoy the mythology and stories, you HAVE to agree that the past few MK games pretty much, well, sucked. In almost every regard. MK: Armageddon had subpar graphics, neutered gameplay, and a terrible, convoluted, nonsensical, silly, genuinely embarrassing story.

MK lost its mainstream cred, its casual appeal, and began to cater exclusively to a dwindling number of fans. MK vs. DC was more successful simply by including Batman in it, but most fans, critics, and non-fans mocked the series for its increased juvenile approach, lackluster gameplay, and edited violence. You can't honestly tell me that MK as a brand has been anything other than a dated relic of the past, far past its prime, a franchise that established itself as a brave, bold, impressive series that lost its edge and failed to mature as its fanbase DID mature and raised their expectations.

Regardless of this movie demo's position, the news sites love it, the casual viewers embraced it, and even a healthy portion of the long-time fans are open to the change. A reimagining doesn't negate the quality of the original, and if MK is doing a bold, violent, quality direction like it established itself upon years ago, MK can become relevant and successful again.

And I have to say this: After MK: Armageddon, MK vs DC, MK: Special Forces, MK: Defenders of the Realm, MK: Conquest, and MK: Annihilation, when MK couldn't have sunk any lower and had become a joke amongst the industry and casual fans, it's AWESOME to feel proud of the series again, to see such positive responses, to see people going "Hell yeah!" and "OMG, that's great!" and "Damn, that's cool!"

... which is what I remember other people saying when MK first debuted so very long ago and necks were being snapped, heads decapitated, arms ripped off, and spines removed. It feels so good to see that same response pertain to MK again after all this time.

OR we can have it all take place in the magical realm of Edenia, where flowers never seize to bloom. But then, as the citizens of Edenia enjoy their every day routine of running in circles and playing hopscotch, the big, bad, mean guy named Shao Kahn from the not nice place called Outworld, comes to ruin the day.

"Grrrrrrrrr" says Shao Kahn.
"Arrrrrrgh" says Kitana.

But just then, the magical Asian named Liu Kang comes and saves the day for the 30th time.

"Oh thank you Liu Kang," says Kitana. "You saved us with your magic!"

"Don't thank me," says Liu Kang. "Thank my magical unicorn, Princess for getting me here in time."

Then they both ride off into the sunset. How magical and fantasy-like...

Allow me to play with your griefs for a little bit.

Yes, I think the magic aspect will be toned down enormously, and yes, I do share some concerns with this. You nailed it on the head through and through:

the greatest danger this restart poses if it tries to abandon the 90's dumb mixture of grit and cheap-ass fantasy that makes pre-Forgotten Realms DnD look downright inspired in favor of....

CEO Shao Kahn, goonie pimp Kintaro, evil vice president Dick Jone....Shang Tsung.... now now, where have we seen this. Dystopian future, multicorporate assholes, reaganomics-run-rampant, hmm... like, every odd number 90's action flick??? That they shower it with fridge horror and martial arts would not help it.

I see it this way: if the concept is taken steps further the magic element needs to be brought in. I think it would go well with this style of MK that freaks like Baraka would, through service in Shang Tsung's league would be physically altered into a true monster. You get the picture.


Though please not forget, there is a reason why comic books in the 90's are classified mostly as the Dark Age of Comics. And that is not really a title you can be proud of...

Sorry, another thought:


if, the majority considers this a viable and likable product, then by all means Midway is going to go with what sells. That is not a bad thing. If for continued survival and profit the art shift will alienate the old school gamers,....I can honestly say go for it.


Lest MK be turned into Sonic the Hedgehog. It does not matter how infinitely artistic your orchestral music is, when you have tens of thousands of fucking furries as characters running around.... and overall, having subpar gameplay and art concepts.

Garlador is right on the money.

Those against any change whatsoever to the joke this series has become is exactly why the series still makes decent numbers. It caters to the casual.

That's why sooooo many hardcore fighting game fans jumped to SF4 and SSF4.

We are arguing over nothing anyway - MK9 will be nothing like this experimental video.

At any rate, it's great to see the MK community divided - and don't kid yourselves - it IS divided about this video. Generating any buzz is good.

I'm all for change and innovation, but that doesn't mean I have to cross the line towards shit and accept it.

*triple facepalm* + *Bo Rai Cho's Fartality*



You don't want magic? You don't want mythology? You don't want MK? Go play/watch something else because that's what MK has always been about, and what you ask for is not what MK is.

What you say is not fair at all, because its not like they just brought the magic and the mythology in the last 2 MK games. Its been there since game 1!!!! Since the very beginning!

Your law has been broken.

PS: I love you.



I pretty much disagree with most of what you said, but in particular with this part about MKvsDC. Did you just read a few selected reviews? 'Cause I remember a lot of praise for the game as well as a huge amount of positive feedback.


Change is good, and I'm all for that. But not the kind of change that rapes the franchise in such way. MK vs DC was great because it was STILL Mortal Kombat, even if Catwoman was meowing around, it was still MK in essence.

This piece of *hopefully nothing* is not MK in any way. But you are right, this won't be MK9 and it will hopefully not affect the canon of the series in any way (movies, games, etc).

Chrome, what is it with you and constantly blaming everything on the 1990's? There are way more tropes in the series that DON'T come from a specific decade.

Just because MK has been about one concept for two decades it does not justify it remaining so. Apathy and reluctance to change kills.

I think as far as a movie is concerned fans would be happy to have the first MK movie mixed with BloodSport, and enter the dragon, with more modern martial arts choreography, and gritty fatalities similar to what is shown in this test video.

So far, I've seen quite a lot of comments on various sites where the general feeling of this project is positive with this mindframe:

"I think it would be great if the movie starts very realistic and down to earth, with murder cases being investigated, and once they get to the Tournament, they get plunged into a world of the obscure, bizzare and mystic."

Right... glad you got the point.

Let me alter this quote a bit:

"You want magic? You want mythology? You want MK?"

Then go watch Annihilation over and over again. It's right up your alley.

You're really not very good at this whole debate thing, are you JayboH?

That's simply unfair. We all know that mysticism was not reason Annihilation was horrible. I could just as easily say, "hey, you want gritty? Go watch "The Legend of Chun Li."

KenshiMaster: Going to reply; just need a slightly bigger time window. There's actually a lot of posts I intended to reply to but just got lost in the river of new posts.

Slightly exploitative, no?

But its a pretty damn good pitch. Didnt need to see the babies tho... that made me sad.

Again, the thing to remember with this is, and I quote someone from another website:

"It's TEST FOOTAGE. Like Tron Legacy back when it was code-named "Tr2n", this is just test footage; a proposed idea that may or may not get used that is just released to let people know that the studio working on the project is interested in doing it anyway, no matter how it's going to be like! I like the idea they're proposing with this footage, even if they decide not to use it and go a different direction. That's why I like this. That and it looks good in concept."

Things can drastically change people. The realism can be kept and more magic and mythos can be added. Want to know a real humdinger?

The villain in the first Bond movie, "Dr. No," at one point and time was to be a monkey. I shit you not.

Ahh, fellow troper I presume.


I cannot find any other quickly usable world that could so encompass what I find disturbingly outdated in Mortal Kombat. Though you are right, it is not apropriate to use it as much and in some circumstances.



Awesome. So this means it can go both all ways. At the same time!

This looks like it could be an amazing film and I cant wait to see it.

Though I hope that it seperates itself from the original MK series and our Sci Fi MK lives on.... I would be heartbroken if the mortal Kombat we have all loved since children is just totaly transformed and..... (for lack of a better word) ripped off.

Having said that this film looks like a great film, a modern day Blood Sport (jean claud van damme)

RazorsEdge701, we've had our disagreements on this site in the past; but I have to say I wholeheartedly agree with your assessment.

This video looses the essence of Mortal Kombat.

Whatever movie is made, I'm EXPECTING that it will stray from the source material; that's par for the course, almost every {insert medium}-to-movie adaptation does. However, this completely DISREGARDS the source.

Re-imaginings are great, and I'd love to see one...but this bore no resemblance to Mortal Kombat.

Deacon City is NOT Earthrealm

haha! love the pic

reminds me of all the anti-MKvsDC sigs back in the day

It's ok Queve, I love you too.



Hopefully he was a flying monkey with magic!

queve chill the fuck out dog, video looked tight.

I too want the fantasy and epicness of the games/comics but unfortunately the ones who will dig deep in their pockets to bring this movie to you and me will obviously want to make as much and more, so they need to attract as more viewers as possible and.. well.. the modern world wants realism, at least that's what major studios seem to know.

so sit back and enjoy an ex doc sharpening his teeth and a baby being born as a freaking lizard... a freaking lizard dude that's some fucking win right there.

mother fucker kept heads on his fridge yo, you know that's some hardcore shit...

This situation is almost exactly how Michael Bay was about to be assassinated for Bayformers. Guess what, more pre-teen kids know the movie Optimus Prime than the G1 version.

MK might be transforming as we speak. Whatever direction, it is good, for it seriously needs t get out of it's own convoluted inbred mess.

OK, I FOUND the perfect candidate to replace the Baraka guy should something come up:
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/weblog/comments/3601/
Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring you Dr. Dick Chopp

Transformers is a terrible comparison that will inspire hope in no one.

At least, no one who saw Revenge of the Fallen and knows what the difference is between that and a GOOD film.

I pray to God that this is not the official MK movie. Because if it is, then with this approach they officially killed the MK franchise and created another SAW like franchise. Except the names this piece of sh*t has nothing to do with MK. What the hell's up with WB? No mythology, no magic? That's not the way to recreate it! Baraka a freakin rasta-man?????????? Reptile a plastic surgeon?????????? You can't sell everything simply with blood and gore. That's a B rated thriller maybe BUT NOT A F*CKING MORTAL KOMBAT!