The Mortal Kombat franchise has been a beloved staple of video games for decades, and in 2021, it was brought to the big screen once again with a new Mortal Kombat movie. Fans of the series were thrilled to see their favorite characters come to life in stunning detail, and the movie was a hit with both fans and critics alike. Talks of a a Mortal Kombat sequel have been swirling around the internet for a while and now Mortal Kombat 2 has been officially announced.
The new Mortal Kombat movie followed a brand new protagonist, Cole Young played by Lewis Tan, as he was drawn into the world of the Mortal Kombat tournament and fought to save the Earth realm from the forces of Out-world. Along the way, he met iconic characters like Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), Kano (Josh Lawson), and Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee). They faced off against the likes of Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim), Mileena (Sisi Stringer), and Shang Tsung (Chin Han). The movie was a faithful adaptation of the games, with plenty of gory, over-the-top violence and an emphasis on martial arts. The story was sort of a prequel to the 1st tournament with Shang Tsung trying to take out Earth’s major players before the tournament even starts for an easy win.
What can fans expect from a Mortal Kombat 2?
We can expect Lewis Tan to return as Cole Young as well as Jax, Raiden, Sonya Blade, Scorpion and the main antagonist of the first movie, Sub Zero. Anyone that’s played the games knows characters don’t stay dead for long before they are resurrected, sometimes as evil revenants of themselves. The original Sub Zero returned as Noob Saibot. I’d like them to bring Kano back as he was one of the best characters from the first movie.
There are still plenty of characters from the games who have yet to make an appearance, including fan favorites like Kitana, Baraka, Reptile and Johnny Cage. Cage was heavily teased at the end of the last movie. Ryan Reynolds made a tweet throwing his name in the hat to play Cage so who knows? Joel McHale know for Community is rumored to be playing Cage. Personally, I’d love to see Matt Mullins return as Cage from the Web series or even Scott Adkins as he already has a very Johnny Cage look to him and has the moves.
Finally, it’s worth considering the possibility of new game-play elements being incorporated into the movie. The games have always been known for their unique Fatalities, finishing moves that allow players to brutally dispatch their opponents in a variety of gruesome ways. The first movie had plenty of nods to these Fatalities but no X-ray moves as of yet. Although I’m not sure how a character can shake off bones getting shattered to continue fighting as they do in the games.
Story-wise if the first tournament hasn’t even begun yet, so the story will be different as some later characters have already made an appearance and the unbeaten champion and sub-boss of the first game Goro has already been killed. Plenty more bosses to play with though such as Kitaro and Shao Khan of course.
Of course, all of this is speculation at this point. It’s unclear when Mortal Kombat 2 will be released. Filming is due to start in June. There is no story synopsis available yet so all speculation at the minute. But one thing is for sure: fans of the franchise are eager to see more of this world brought to life on the big screen. Whether it’s exploring new characters and storylines or doubling down on the over-the-top violence and action that made the first movie so enjoyable, a Mortal Kombat 2 has the potential to be a hit with fans once again.
