I know some characters died in the story but regarless these are the characters i want back in the game and others i just want put in:

Liu Kang
Raiden
Sonya
Scorpion
Sub-zero
Reptile
Fujin
Kenshi
Shang Tsung
Motaro(Playable ans a Centaur im sure they can work it out)
Johnny Cage
Kitana
Mileena
Jade
Jax
Stryker
Bo rai cho
Nitara

Personally all characters from MK9 but ill do with some taken out new characters are welcome i just hope they are good

New:
Kenshi
Skarlet
Rain
Fujin
Havik
Bo'rai Cho
Tanya
Reiko
Li Mei
Mavado
Sareena
Nitara
Shinnok

Dhampir
Sorceress
Tibetan Monk

Old:
Scorpion
Sub-zero
Reptile
Ermac
Noob Saibot
Smoke
Cyrax
Sektor
Liu Kang
Kitana
Mileena
Jade
Raiden
J. Cage
Sonya
Kano
Baraka
Quan Chi

raiden
johnny cage
sonya
liu kang (as Zombie)
scorpion
shinnok
quan chi
ermac
kai
bo' rai cho
fujin
cyrax
sektor
rain
kenshi
skarlet
sareena
shujinko
sheeva
baraka
noob saibot
kano
havik........



I don't know if their good or evil

Ermac
Johnny Cage
Stryker

Fill in the rest.

It all depends on the story really, but I would personally love to see Edenia return and explore Rain, Sindel, and all the other Edenian's a little more. I would also love to see a proper version of the Centaur Motaro. But that is very unlikely.

Anyway, we can assume that the first Act of the story (that takes place during MK4's timeline), will be a Netherealm invasion of Earthrealm, so here are the characters that I would like to see from the opposing sides (* characters that I feel must return):

--Earthrealm:
Raiden*
Johnny Cage (Seido trained)*
Bo'Rai Cho*
Hotaro
Kenshi
Sonya Blade
+ a few new characters

--Netherealm:
Quan Chi
Shinnok
Scorpion*
Noob Saibot*
The heroes that died in the previous game:
- Kung Lao
- Sub-Zero (cyber)*
- Smoke*
- Sindel
- Kitana
- Jade

--Characters to appear later in the story:
Fujin*
Rain*
Skarlet*
Ermac*
Baraka*
Shiva
Cyrax
Sektor

--DLC:
Havik
Frost
Tanya
Motaro?

Like I said, it really depends on the story. Obviously more Edenian characters would be included if they made a part of the story focus on that. Or more of the Outworld characters if it was to show more of that. Ideally it would be great to show everything. Rebuilding Edenia and having Rain return to make his claim. Seeing the various factions in Outworld going to war since the Emperor is dead. Visiting Seido, ChaosRealm, and even a new realm (Dream Realm sounds like a good idea).

I find it a little tough to make certain decisions because of how MK ended. I feel like they made a mistake killing off certain characters and not killing off others. While only have some important character appear as DLC or a cameo. I do like some of the things they have done with some characters (Johnny Cage Seido training; Smoke is a demon and not a cyborg; Sub-Zero being a cyborg; Saibot being Noob's shadow, and the new costume is awesome! etc etc)

Returning-

Sub-Zero
Scorpion
Mileena
Raiden
Rain
Kenshi
Skarlet
Sonya
Cage
Quan Chi
Sheeva
Kano

New-

Fujin
Tanya
Mavado
Nitara
Kira
Havik
Bo'Rai'Cho
Kai
Sareena
Reiko
Jarek
Drahmin

Two all new characters will up the roster to 26. Not counting DLC

Here's what I think:
Returning:
Raiden
Johnny Cage
Sonya Blade
Kano
Reptile
Ermac
Sub-Zero1or2/Noob Saibot/Cyborg Sub-Zero
Baraka
Mileena
Sektor
Cyrax
Sheeva
Rain
Kenshi
Quan-Chi
Skarlet

New:
Fujin
Tanya
Reiko
Kai
Bo'Rai Cho
Frost
Ashrah
Dairou
Hotaru
Shujinko
Havik
Sareena
Khameleon
Shinnok

Maybe:
Tremor
Mysterious Woman

I'd rather have Drahmin than Frost, I don't dislike her but wouldn't she be too young in the timeline?

Still, considering Drahmin isn't well liked by Boon, Frost is more of a safer bet.

CHARACTERS

3 Rows of 12 (36 to start)
1 Row down the middle for (12) unlockable characters

Halfway through Story Mode you can free the Soles of the Dammed ( Everyone that Sindel Killed in MK9)

NEW

• Tanya
• Reiko
• Fujin
• Havik
• Kai
• Bo Rai Cho
• Sareena
• Blaze
• Taven
• Nitara or Shujinko
• NEW Female
• NEW Female
• NEW Female
• NEW Male
• NEW Male
• NEW Male


RETURNING

• Scorpion
• Liu Kang Badly burned
• Ermac
• Reptile Can play as Lizard
• Johnny Cage
• Mileena
• Cyrax Can play as Human
• Smoke Can play as Robot
• Sektor Can play as Human
• Sonya Blade
• Kano
• Baraka
• Kabal
• Raiden
• Noob Saibot Not ripped apart Saved by Havik
• Sheeva
• Quan Chi
• Skarlet
• Rain
• Sub Zero Can play as Robot

UNLOCKABLE

• Kitana
• Nightwolf Can play in Wolf form (Similar to Saberwolf from KI)
• Shao Kahn (Unlocked after beating Story Mode)
• Shinnock (Unlocked after beating Arcade Mode)

DLC

• Jade
• Sindel
• Kung Lao
• Shang Tsung
• Kurtis Stryker
• Jax Briggs
• Goro
• Kintaro

SUB BOSSES

• NEW ONI
• Molock

BOSS

• Shinnock

SYSTEM SPECIFIC

• Freddy Krueger (Maybe)
• Kratos (Playable in PlayStation version)
• Fulgore (Playable in the Xbox version)

Some good ideas in this thread. As some of you have done with dissecting the MK9 story to figure out characters who are dead and who will likely return and then filling in the rest of the roster with MK4-MKD characters. All of you are forgetting that it is still an MK game and they will find ways to bring these "DEAD" characters back.

As big a shake up as they did with Deadly Alliance and killing off Liu Kang and Shao Kahn, they found ways to bring them back. Sub Zero will be back. Kung Lao and Liu Kang will be back. Unless they really wanna reboot and kill off a bunch of characters and start trying to make some new memorable characters, I expect to see all our old favourites again with some excuse tied in with how they are among the living again.