Mortal Kombat 2 has been announced by Warner Bros. as the sequel to the 2021 adaptation of the very popular video game. Mortal Kombat is one of the most widely-played fighting video games that also boast a long aninteresting history. The tradition of adapting such popular games into films and series, has become more common with shows like The Last of Us reaching out to a wide audience.
However, the adaptation of Mortal Kombat into film is not a recent phenomenon. The first adaptation titled, Mortal Kombat, released in 1995 followed by Mortal Kombat: Annihilation in 1997. This was also followed by a couple of TV series which didn't receive as much hype or excitement as the original film series did from the fans of the video game.
The series then had a reboot with Mortal Kombat (2021), which starred Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson and Tadanobu Asano, in lead roles. Rather than being a direct adaptation of the video game like The Last of Us, the new Mortal Kombat film series is a reboot of the 1995 film series. Mortal Kombat (2021) became quite a box office success, making creating excitement around a sequel.
The latest news of the sequel suggests that there is scope for several different spin-offs, sequels and universes to support the film series. While many of the actors from the previous film are known to be reprising their roles. News that Karl Urban will be playing Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 2 has been around for some time now. Fans of the actor are in anticipation of what he could do with the role.
Things to known about Mortal Kombat 2
1) Shang Tsung will expand his invasions
Shang Tsung is one of the most popular and primary villains in the Mortal Kombat fighting game. He also played a crucial role in the 2021 film, having the fans of the franchise anticipate an interesting arc for him in Mortal Kombat 2. Shape shifting into familiar characters and absorbing the souls of the dead are two of his powers that make him the powerful villain that he is.
In the 2021 film, Shang Tsung finds out about a prophecy which states that the blood of Hanzo Hasashi would unite the champions of the Earthrealm for them to rise victorious against the Outworld after nine losses. He then sends out his men to slay the Earthrealm's champions one after the other to ensure the Outworld's dominance. The plot is significantly dependant on him.
In Mortal Kombat 2, Shah Tsung is expected to further his invasions and attempt to dominate the world by forming alliances with other champions from the Outworld. The rise of new heroes such as Johnny Cage would make the conflict between Tsung and the new characters extremely interesting.
2) There will be real Mortal Kombat fight sequences in the film
What left most fans of the video game as well as admirers of actions films disappointed after the first part, is the absence of real fight sequences in the film. Many felt that leaving out Mortal Kombat tournament sequences meant leaving out the spirit of the video game and ultimately the core of the story. However, Mortal Kombat 2 promises some meaty portions that will display the combat scenes.
In the 2021 film, Earthrealm was already declared victorious against the villains. However, the combat that led the heroes of Earthrealm to victory was apparently not legitimised or labelled as official by the gods. This means that none of the action and battle that occured in the first part was classified as a tournament. It was rather just an unoffical conflict.
The return of Shah Tsung and those from the Outworld would make Mortal Kombat 2 more interesting as the villains will be returning with double the motivation and an element of vengeance. Moreover, Mortal Kombat 2 is expected to have an ultimate showdown that would make for a massive cinematic experience.
3) Ed Boon is a major part of the making team
The Last of Us was widely praised for how faithfully it adapted the video game. Some visuals were directly renimiscient of the game and the vibe was kept intact with minimal alterations to suit the medium. Although the makers of Mortal Kombat 2 are known to have taken a lot more creative freedom, Ed Boon being one of the creators suggests that there is a lot of input from the game.
Ed Boon was a co-creator of the Mortal Kombat fighting series alongside John Tobias. Both the creators are known to be actively involved in the creative process behind Mortal Kombat 2. A lot of fans' inhibitions about whether or not Mortal Kombat 2 will keep the spirit of the game alive can be dismissed considering the makers of the game are around to keep it intact.
All the news about HBO Max's Mortal Kombat 2 seems hopeful and promising so far. The Karl Urban casting reports have also created wuite a buzz pulling more of an audience base towards the film. The involvement of the game creators further promises a good adaptation.