It’s always exciting to see a video game adaptation that successfully captures the essence of its source material without straying too far creatively. This was precisely what the Mortal Kombat reboot managed to achieve in 2021. With a reasonably positive reception from both critics and fans, anticipation for the sequel has been running high, and judging from official images, Mortal Kombat 2 will be following in that same vein.
We already know that Karl Urban is portraying the always-fun Johnny Cage, with an official poster accompanying the previous teaser. Now, there’s more. In an exclusive interview with EW, we can finally see what Cage, Kitana, and Shao Kahn will look like in their full glory.
The film’s plot follows after the first. With Earthrealm and Outworld having already clashed, it is now time for Cole Young (Lewis Tan) to seek out a new recruit to join Earth’s forces, and that is Cage.
“You finally get to see Johnny Cage,” Ed Boon, Mortal Kombat co-creator and head of gaming developer NetherRealm Studios, said. “His integration into the Mortal Kombat story and universe is a big part of what this movie explores. He’s a washed-up Hollywood guy thrown into this magical, ultra-violent thing. Karl, his depiction of Johnny Cage is different than our games in some ways. He’s adding his own flair to it, but I think it’ll feel fresh. There’s like a novelty factor in there.”
He will be joined by new faces Kitana (Adeline Rudolph) and Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford), which should get fans real excited as the actual tournament takes place in Mortal Kombat 2. With Earthalm just one more loss away from its 10th consecutive failure against Outworld, the stakes could not be higher as Shao Kahn prepares for his invasion.
To celebrate the film’s release, the movie versions of Johnny Cage, Kitana, and Shao Kahn will be available as DLC characters in Mortal Kombat 1. However, it remains unclear whether these additions will be free or paid content.
Mortal Kombat 2 is scheduled to hit theaters on October 24.
