1995's Mortal Kombat is one of the most notable video game movies in history, but it could've turned out a lot different if not for casting issues. The feature film, directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, was loosely based on the popular video series by the same name. The video game franchise was originally developed in 1992, becoming a hit for fighting focus and graphic violence. Starring figures like Robin Shou, Linden Ashby, Bridgette Wilson-Sampras, Mortal Kombat emerged as a box office hit, garnering a sequel titled Mortal Kombat: Annihilation and TV spinoffs. After being stuck in developmental hell, a Mortal Kombat reboot is set to debut in 2021.
Mortal Kombat specifically incorporated elements from the first two video game installments created by Midway Games. It focused on a trio of skilled fighters as they were guided by a powerful god on a special journey to defeat an evil sorcerer known as Shang Tsung. The warriors entered a dangerous tournament to face off against the villain's deadly forces in the hope of saving the earth. Despite the mixed reviews from critics, Mortal Kombat became somewhat of a cult classic. In addition, the movie's soundtrack was an absolute hit with audiences.
While Anderson and the studio went with primarily unknown actors, that wasn't the original plan. Those involved in the development had several big-name actors in mind for key roles. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa was the only actor cast who was the crew's first and only choice for Shang Tsung. Other than that, the movie had to be flexible due to rejected offers and unexpected mishaps. So who could've starred in Anderson's movie? Here's which actors nearly worked on Mortal Kombat.
Liu Kang
Robin Shou starred as Liu Kang, the main protagonist as showcased in the video games and the Mortal Kombat film series. The character was a former Shaolin monk that entered the tournament after Shang Tsung, the primary villain, killed his younger brother, Chan Kang. The actor turned out to be the only lead actor to reprise his role for the 1997 sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. Shou played a key part in the franchise, but the actor wasn't the only name considered. Among those who auditioned included Russell Wong, Dustin Nguyen, Keith Cooke, and Phillip Rhee.
Brandon Lee, the son of famed actor Bruce Lee, was said to be the original choice to play Liu Kang. Sadly, Lee was tragically killed while working on the set of The Crow. As the film's lead character, Lee was filming a scene that featured him being shot. Due to negligence, Lee was wounded by defective blank ammunition, and he later died at the hospital at the age of 28. The release of The Crow in 1994 served as Lee's final acting appearance. When Mortal Kombat was forced to go in a new direction, Shou's name came up. He originally turned down the role because he worried about Asian stereotypes, but his agent changed his mind.
Rayden
Christopher Lambert notably portrayed Rayden, the god of thunder who acted as the guide in the heroes' journey in defending the Earthrealm. Known as Raiden in the games, the immortal character served protector of the Earthrealm, but he couldn't participate in the tournament. Though Lambert fit as the group's wise leader, he wasn't initially the first choice to play Rayden. In fact, a few legendary actors, including Danny Glover, were considered for the role.
Glover, best known for playing Roger Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon series, was a favorite of New Line Cinema. Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon later described the studios' interest in Glover as a "wild suggestion" in a 2017 interview (via IGN). Despite nearing 50-years-old at the time, the actor would have been capable of playing Rayden. That said, the stunt-heavy work was presumably unappealing, resulting in the lack of interest from Glover.
Legendary James Bond actor Sean Connery also arose as an odd choice to portray Rayden in the 1995 film. The hope was that his casting would bring a wider audience since Connery was a well-established actor by the '90s. Though he was one of the top choices for the role, he had absolutely no interest. Instead, the actor turned the offer because he wanted to spend more time playing golf.
Johnny Cage
Linden Ashby played Johnny Cage, the Hollywood star who entered the tournament as a way to convince the world that he was skilled in martial arts. The extremely cocky character served as the comic relief during the tense action-heavy scenes. Ashby actually trained in karate, tae kwon do, and kung fu to prepare for the role of Johnny. The video game counterpart was inspired by Jean-Claude Van Damme, and the actor was actually approached to play the character in Anderson's film. Van Damme turned down the offer to instead portray Colonel Guile in the film adaptation of another video game, Street Fighter.
Popular actors Gary Daniels, Johnny Depp, and Tom Cruise were also considered for the role of Johnny. The latter of which turned down the opportunity so he could star in Mission Impossible. It's unclear exactly why Daniels and Depp also declined, but both actors had a steady amount of gigs in the mid-'90s, which could have prevented the possibility of taking a role in Mortal Kombat.
Sonya Blade
Bridgette Wilson-Sampras played Sonya Blade, a stern officer of the United States Special Forces who was looking to avenge the death of her partner. While looking to kill the crime boss, Kano, Sonya entered the tournament to take down evil sorcerer Shang Tsung and his allies. Wilson-Sampras auditioned for the role of Sonya, but due to the lengthy casting process, she took a part in Billy Madison instead. Meanwhile, the studio cast Cameron Diaz as Sonya after enjoying her work in The Mask.
While training for the Mortal Kombat role, Diaz broke her wrist. The crew didn't have much time before filming commenced so they returned to Wilson-Sampras, who had just wrapped filming on Billy Madison. Wilson-Sampras was officially recast as Sonya, flying out the next day to get on set. Remarkably, the actress did her own stunts and trained for major fight sequences in between her scenes. Actress Christina Applegate was also considered for the role during the initial casting process.
Jackson Briggs A.K.A. "Jax"
Gregory McKinney made a small appearance in Mortal Kombat as Jackson "Jax" Briggs, Sonya's Special Forces partner. Originally, the guest character was meant to be played by Steve James, a star of American Ninja, The Delta Force, and I'm Gonna Git You Sucka. Unfortunately, James passed away from pancreatic cancer in 1993, which was shortly before filming was set to begin. Even though Mortal Kombat went with McKinney for the original movie, he was unable to reprise his role in the sequel due to ill health. He later died in 1998, a year after Annihilation debuted. American Gladiators actor Lynn "Red" Williams filled in for the expanded arc in the follow-up film.
