Mortal Kombat 2 is adding Jade to its fighting roster. Jade, a character who originated in the 1993 video game Mortal Kombat II, is an assassin who is the bodyguard for Princess Kitana, another character who is slated to appear in the new live-action franchise in the upcoming sequel to 2021's Mortal Kombat along with Shao Kahn, Baraka, Quan Chi, and Sindel. Mortal Kombat 2, which brings back the 2021 movie's director Simon McQuoid, is slated to begin filming this June.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Tati Gabrielle is in final talks for the role of Jade in the currently untitled Mortal Kombat sequel. The star, who is best known for her work in Netflix series You, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, and Kaleidoscope, recently appeared in the 2021 video game adaptation Uncharted opposite Tom Holland. This news comes just two weeks after it was announced that Karl Urban would be taking on the role of iconic game character Johnny Cage.
How Jade Can Fit Into The Mortal Kombat 2 Story
Given the fact that Mortal Kombat 2 already announced it was adding Kitana to the cast, it's no surprise that Jade is along for the ride as well. She also has a close connection to several of the other new characters including Shao Kahn, working as a spy for the iconic villain, who also happens to be the stepfather of the Edenian princess.
At the time of writing, it is unknown exactly what storyline the new film will have. If it follows the plot of the original game, she may only be a minor character. She was originally a secret character created by palette-swapping the character model for Kitana herself before becoming properly playable in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.
However, it seems that the filmmakers will largely be drawing on later games for Jade's characterization in Mortal Kombat 2. Storylines that could be dramatized in the film include her decision not to betray Kitana when Shao orders her capture, as well as her relationship to Kotal Kahn, the Outworld emperor seen in Mortal Kombat X and 11. More on this will likely come to light if Mortal Kombat 2 begins filming soon as planned, which could be the case despite the ongoing writers strike.
Source: THR