Frost has a decent chance. Her appearance in MKX was a nice surprise, and she fits very well with this new generation. Subby is becoming the old grand master, so it makes sense to expand the Lin Kuei with a young member.

MKX has showed me that whats going on in the story has literally no impact on the roster when it comes to Kitana. She dies in the previous game and had about 3% story time as a zombie and still made the roster, so I think Mileena's death basically means nothing. I wouldn't be surprised if for the next game Kitana gets more story time but sits out on the roster. Either way I doubt both Kitana and Mileena will make the roster together. It's gonna be one or the other and seeing as Mileena is the poster girl of the series her and Jade will probably get in.

Tanya has a good chance. Edenia was pretty much a hushed topic in X, so I imagine it'll be more focused on in the next game, which would be good news for her and Rain. And if they decide to bring Jade back I see a good rivalry happening there, Tanya can go back to being the backstabbing bitch of the series again.

Sindel possibly has a chance too if they revisit Edenia again. Her and Jade could possibly team up again to save Kitana. I would like to see that in cinematic form.

Sheeva is a way better roster choice than Goro. I may be wrong but I think she even has a bigger fanbase than he does. Either way she fits in by being a unique character without feeling like a boss. Unfortunately in terms of story, I can only see her dull "for the shokans" plot or simply being someones servant.

I think D'vorah has a 50/50 chance of returning. Shinnok most likely won't have much if any part in the next story, so she really has no one to serve or betray. And if Quan Chi doesn't return than they will have to come up with some entirely new plot for her. I'd like to see them focus on her race/people a little more.

If any other female character from the 3D era should get a chance to shine it should be Li Mei. Yeah, her story changed in X's storyline, but now we don't know what happened to Bo Rai Cho. If he's in captivity or dead, it would give her a reason to rise. She would make a great addition to the roster if they revamped her into a female samurai.

As for Jacqui....I have no idea why people keep thinking all four of the A-Team are gonna make it back. I honestly don't see her returning(along with Kung Jin possibly). MK may have a story going forward, but it's still a fighting game, and certain veteran characters will ALWAYS get in over others. NRS would never let newbies replace characters like Sonya. That being said, I think both Cassie and Sonya will probably be back and to compensate room for new characters half of MKX newbies won't return, except Takeda of course.

I honestly have no idea about Sareena, Frost, Nitara, Kira or Ashrah. They'd all have to be revamped but all of them literally have a clean slate.

Ferra - Rest In Piece.

Raiden and the Revenants and the Shirai Ryu wage a war against the other realms and the Elder Gods. Everyone else tries to beat some sense into them. Mileena gets her body back by stealing the Anointed Blade from Ashrah and murdering Ashrah, Sareena and a bunch of demons and Revenants no one cares about.

Roster:
Dark Raiden
Old Man Sub Zero
Old Man Scorpion
Frost
Takeda
Fujin
Havik
Cassie
Kung Jin
Jacquie
Ermac (taken over by Shang Tsung's soul)
Mileena
D'vorah
Kitana
Liu Kang
Sindel
Smoke
Kung Lao
Li Mei
Tanya
Kotal Kahn
4 new characters

I see these coming back

Kitana- The Dark Empress thing will no doubt come into play. She could possibly even be a boss.

Jade- Her absence in MKX and the mysterious ghost woman are leading to something. I think she got away and she will be the key to reviving the revenants.

Tanya- Her and Rain taking Edenia would be great and very well could happen. Maybe they help Raiden against Kotal.

Cassie- No duh.

Sindel- I see her being revived and trying to free Kitana.

Li Mei- She was very impressive in MKX's story. If the next story goes with Raiden attacking Outworld, Li Mei would be a big part. She would be the one in the middle trying to make peace. She can also meet Bo Rai Cho.

Plus one more

Sonya- Probably not. Sonya needs a rest.

Mileena- I think she would most likely be DLC.

D'Vorah- Idk where she goes from here.

Jacqui- Was not received too well.

Frost- She is kinda meh. Idk what they can do with her

Skarlet- Maybe if they can fit her in.

Kira- Possibly replace Kano. Probably not.

Tasia- Possibly the new rumored/undeveloped character

Sareena- I want her to return but idk what she would do or what her moveset would be.

Idk about Ashrah, Sheeva, Khameleon, or Nitara. Probably not.

Sonya's definitely coming back, along with Cassie, Jacqui, Kitana, and D'vorah. Sonya is once again one of the most played characters, and she's still important to the story.

Mileena and Jade are dead. Gone. Dunzo. Unless there's another alternate timeline game coming up.

Last I checked kung Lao was pretty damn dead too and look what happened there....

Regardless the only other female I see making any playable return from the 3D era in specific is li mei. Everyone else is a bit off the chart. Female characters from 1-4 I can see making on and off returns from here on. Except maybe sindel for whatever reason.

I'd say Mileena could be moved up to very likely. I don't think her or Kitana are going anywhere.

D'vorah had the privilege of killing 2 characters I like a whole lot, so they better bring her back and keep her awesome and important lmao

Ashrah has so much potential and is very unique from other females. I'll be very surprised to not see her return

Kitana and Mileena will both be back next game, storyline be damned, trust. I think Jade has a shot at DLC. Tanya will depend on her popularity this game and where they decide to take the plot next time, but hopefully she gets the Kenshi promotion to roster.

Cassie, Jacqui, and D'Vorah will be back -- probably Sonya too, unless all the parents are retired (which I would like).

I'd love to see Sindel playable again, obviously, but I'm not sure it's in the cards. Sheeva seems to be done.

From the 3D era, the only ones I think have any shot at a return are Li Mei, Frost, and Ashrah.

Sareena's always lurking around, but I'm not sure what she'd bring to the table as a playable character.

Mileena, Cassie, Sonya, D'Vorah, Li Mei most likely would return. Even Jade probably will make a surprise comeback since she wasn't in the Story Mode at all and she was killed in MK 9 . So her returning will 50/50. Jacqui most likely she will be a NPC or cameo. Kitana might be a final boss since she is a netherrealm ruler

I doubt Sheeva's completely out of the running because nothing we know of so far has happened to her to warrant her permanent exclusion and she essentially plays as a faster Goro/Kintaro, which is a huge plus. I can see her being playable next game, DLC in subsequent titles.

Like someone else said, being dead was apparently no fucking excuse to exclude Kitana (or Liu Kang and Kung Lao for that matter), so Mileena is pretty much guaranteed again, even if they give her the exact same treatment (read: no excuse). She's simply too popular not to.

Li Mei has potential as a plot point, she's definitely coming back (if not as Round Two DLC this game).

Frost will likely see more spotlight, and Ashrah can play a very interesting new role in this timeline if they handle her correctly.

I will only accept Kira as a substitute for Kano because as bland as she is I can't fucking stand him.

Needless to say Cassie and Jacqui are here to stay for at least another game, hopefully finally as proper replacements for their parents in their respective rights.

Sindel, eh, probably not next game (DLC, maybe, if that).

People were pretty amped about Sareena's cameo this time so I think she has a good chance.

And... that's about it.

Who'd buy a Sheeva DLC? Especially when they can have Goro. Get real.

I think Skarlet has great possibilities to return

I'd still buy Sheeva if she was DLC.

Kitana is going places. Those places are largely confined to dead realms, but I'm excited by their prospects.

Anyone else feeling Kitana's narrative trajectory play out in the Mad Max films by Imperator Furiosa? Furiosa was the top commander of her warlord's army, who was abducted by a young age to serve the warlord who destroyed her family. She serves him for a time without question as a survival tactic; then rebels against him and tells Mad Max that she's seeking "redemption" (hellooooooo XiahouDun84's legendary fanfic Kitana; Redemption).

Anyway, this mythos has enduring popularity in popular culture and now as the ruler of the Netherrealm I think her position is secured in future MK games.

Kitana and Cassie are lock ins.

Kitana will likely take Mileena's 'evil role' while jade will likely return to fulfill the 'kitana' role and try to save her.

I wouldn't be surprised if Mileena sat out, but I think she is more likely to return than Sonya. I think the next game will be deception-like with its cast. (Mkx was the deadly alliance). She's evolved past her Kitana plot, so that helps her chances.

Jacqui - probably; 70-80% chance.

I think dvorah will sit out. Maybe make a cameo in story mode.

Tanya will likely not return ala skarlet.

I could see sareena or ashrah returning with the netherrealm storyline of the next game.

Other than that, new females.

I see these coming back

Kitana- The Dark Empress & Liu Kang will be the new Deadly Alliance but not the Boss I see Blood God Rieko being the boss
Cassie- Yes New Hero
Li Mei- Yes NRS built a model for her in MKX
Skarlet- Yes especially if Shao Kahn is returning also Rieko
Sareena- Yes, Looked great in Story Mode
Nitara- Yes but redesigned
Tanya- Yes see Kenshi

DLC
Sonya- DLC or sit out a game
Mileena- I think she would most likely be DLC.
D'Vorah- Yes maybe DLC
Jade- Maybe DLC

NO
Sindel- No
Jacqui- No, One and done
Frost- I say No but she has fans
Kira- No
Tasia- No
Ashrah- No
Sheeva,- No
Khameleon- No

Iconic characters will always have their place in the series, and it seems eventually they will go back and revise "certain" characters until they become iconic too. You know the characters I mean: The ones with next to no backstory and boring designs.

Who falls into that category in this game?
Jacquie.

I would riot if they leave out Sonya, she's Mk's original dame and General of the special forces.

Now that they've decided in aging her there is alot of potential there, they've already given her a garrote wire to help her fight, they'd probably better off further aging her in.the next game, sort of like metal gear's big mama (Eva), only go all out with being general of the special forces. Of course having an unlockable classic young.Sonya skin handy would be nice too.

Sheeva should definately come back to MK11.

It was mentioned earlier in the thread that Edenia wasn't really involvedmuch in this game - good point! It's likely due to the fact that Edenia is still a part of Outworld - it never was separated like it was in the old timeline. I'd bet the following:

Definite
Kitana
Mileena
D'Vorah
Tanya
Jade
Sindel
Cassie
Jacqui
Li Mei
Frost

Maybe
Sonya
Sareena
Ashrah
Sheeva
Tasia

Not Returning
Kira - probably not popular enough
Skarlet - a one-off fan service
Khameleon - doubtful
Nitara

Because of the way the story is falling we have the potential for the largest female roster outside of compilation games like Trilogy or Armageddon.

LMAO @ all of those being "definite". We'll get 5 returning females at most. Unless you mean all of those will be in the game in some capacity (cameo included), which would make Sonya a definite as well.

Haha you're probably right. One could hope. We need more bad ass female representation.