An as yet untitled sequel to the 2021 Mortal Kombat feature film is in development and rumors are beginning to swirl that filming will begin later this year. Amongst the emerging unsubstantiated reports comes claims of a short list of feature characters -- provided by the site that first revealed the existence of Cole Young. Read on for more info:

Last January's confirmed addition of writer Jeremy Slater brought with it promise of a sequel that would embrace the "weird universe" of Mortal Kombat, and according to an uncredited report from That Hashtag Show -- that means characters from the realm of Outworld!

The story of the Outworld throne and its merging with Edenia are at the heart of the rumored list of characters, which features Shao Kahn, "High Princess" Kitana, Queen Sindel,and King Jerrod -- players in the almost Shakespearean drama of Shao Kahn's conquest of the paradise-like realm, marriage to the Queen, and her subsequent death & resurrection.

Shao Kahn will reportedly be joined on the screen by Baraka, who is rumored to be the foe of Johnny Cage, until the "noble but terrifying" Tarkatan is impressed by Cage's fighting.

The casting-type character descriptions come with a broad search for males 30-50 in the two key villain roles, with Kitana described as a "solemn young girl who is scarred for life seeing her father and mother defeated by Shao Kahn. She’s full of rage about Kahn killing her father and imprisoning her mother." Shao Kahn's size appears to be the defining priority of the indiscriminate search. See the description below:

Shao Kahn
Shao Kahn is described as being from his mid-30s to mid-50s and can be any ethnicity between Asian, Black, Latino, Middle Eastern, Indigenous, Pacific Islander, or a mixed Ethnicity. He’s tall, muscular, and gargantuan in size. He’s a dangerous man with a weary dignity. The emperor of Outerworld, he kills King Jerrod, takes the throne, and turns his queen into an undead servant.

Baraka
Baraka is described as male, between 30 and 50, big, strong, and a Tarkatan village warlord. He has razor-sharp teeth, and although he starts off as a foe of Johnny Cage, he eventually joins his side after being impressed by his fighting. Don’t mistake his fearsome look for being a monster. He’s noble but terrifying.

The site also reports that Quan Chi will make an appearance, and that a kindly King Jerrod and Sindel will have to deal with Shao Kahn's coming. A loose adaptation of this backstory previously appeared in episodes of the Mortal Kombat: Legacy webseries, and was controversially retconned in Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath to cast Sindel as a willing participant in the betrayal of her realm.

[Related Article: Variety Discusses Mortal Kombat Sequel with Simon McQuoid]

In 2018 That Hashtag Show spoiled many of the characters who ultimately appeared in the 2021 live-action franchise reboot, including ill fated Nitara and Reiko, and controversial original creation Cole Young -- then cited as "Cole Turner". Some details never emerged and all of the rumors should be taken with skepticism and doubt.

Simon McQuoid will return to direct the sequel, with several returning cast members. Series co-creator Ed Boon recently expressed excitement in an online Q&A, noting: "Each iteration of the script is better than the previous!!"

Would you be excited to see these characters and plotlines featured in the big screen sequel? How will they factor in to the looming Mortal Kombat tournament and fated prophecy? Share your thoughts in the comments below and dig into more rumors in the Media & Merchandise forum!