Quick Links

Summary

  • Warner Bros.' 2021 Mortal Kombat movie is getting a sequel and will introduce Johnny Cage, Shao Kahn, and Sindel.
  • Mortal Kombat 2 has already wrapped principal photography, signaling a release date announcement soon.
  • The Mortal Kombat 2 cast will include Baraka, and the sequel's story will delve deeper into the lore.

Warner Bros.' 2021 live-action Mortal Kombat is getting a sequel, and Mortal Kombat 2 updates are arriving fast now that the movie's in production. There's a strong set-up for more in the Mortal Kombat movie universe, and Mortal Kombat's sequel is set to introduce several characters from the games. Johnny Cage, Shao Kahn, and Sindel will be making their live-action debuts in Mortal Kombat 2 — reveals that tease the sequel's story delving even further into the surprisingly deep lore of the Mortal Kombat beat-em-ups.

2021's Mortal Kombat was the third live-action movie to adapt the game franchise, and Mortal Kombat 2 will be a direct sequel. The 2021 Mortal Kombat movie delivered on the promised R-rating, sticking to a mostly faithful adaptation of the game that brings iconic characters to life as well as expanding the lore with the introduction of new characters like Cole Young (Lewis Tan). Mortal Kombat 2 is expected to continue the strong start the Mortal Kombat cinematic franchise made when Sub Zero, Scorpion, and the rest made their live-action debuts.

Related
Mortal Kombat Ending Explained
The ending of Mortal Kombat features some big fights, some brutal fatalities, and a few big teases for what could happen in Mortal Kombat 2.

The Latest Mortal Kombat 2 News

Just a few short months after it was announced that the movie was resuming filming, it has now been confirmed that Mortal Kombat 2 has wrapped principal photography. The film had been well underway when it was derailed by the SAG-AFTRA strike of 2023 but seemingly didn't miss a beat when production resumed in November 2023. Kung Lao actor Max Huang commemorated the film's wrapping by posting a series of cast photos on Instagram. Despite the end of principal photography, no release date has been announced.

Mortal Kombat 2 Production Status

Mortal Kombat 2021 Jax and Sub-zero

Fortunately for those eagerly awaiting the release of Mortal Kombat 2, the fact that the film has wrapped principal photography suggests a release date will be revealed soon. Shooting was delayed for some months thanks to the SAG/AFTRA strike which brought Hollywood to a standstill, but it was able to return in full swing in November 2023. This promising update doesn't reveal much about when the movie will be arriving, though it likely won't be any time in 2024.

The SAG/AFTRA strike was resolved on November 9th, 2023.

Mortal Kombat 2 Cast

Mileena shown in 2021 Mortal Kombat.

The Mortal Kombat games are known for their wide and varied rosters of fighters, so naturally, the key questions around Mortal Kombat 2 are who is being added to the cast. While many more names are still expected, a large amount of characters have already been confirmed, including:

Actor

Mortal Kombat 2 Character

Lewis Tan

Cole Young

Jessica McNamee

Sonya Blade

Mehcad Brooks

Jax

Tadanobu Asano

Raiden

Ludi Lin

Liu Kang

Hiroyuki Sanada

Scorpion

Chin Han

Shang Tsung

Joe Taslim

Noob Saibot

Tati Gabrielle

Jade

Martyn Ford

Shao Kahn

Karl Urban

Johnny Cage

Adeline Rudolph

Kitana

Desmond Chaim

King Jerrod

Ana Thu Nguyen

Queen Sindel

Damon Herriman

Quan Chi

Mortal Kombat 2 cast news reached new levels of excitement when it was confirmed Baraka has been added to the sequel's roster of characters, announced when producer Todd Garner posted a set photo of a camping chair with Baraka's name on it. Baraka is a Tarkatan who serves the Outworld, and he has huge blades on his forearm and razor-sharp teeth. However, it hasn't been revealed who is playing the character.

Related
Mortal Kombat 2 Cast & Character Guide: Which You Star Has Joined The Cast?
A "Flawless Victory" can be achieved as Mortal Kombat 2 includes a diverse cast of actors playing some fan-favorite video game characters.

Mortal Kombat 2 Story Details

A blended image features Lewis Tan in the live-action Mortal Kombat movie and Johnny Cage in the video game

While what will happen in the sequel is largely still speculation, it is confirmed that a Mortal Kombat tournament will happen. Ed Boon, co-creator of the Mortal Kombat series of games, is heavily involved in the project and the story being told. Boon has a creative hand in both the animated series and the live-action sequel. With Boon knowing the games inside and out, his contributions to the story will undoubtedly delve deeper into the lore.

The addition of Baraka to the Mortal Kombat 2 cast teases more of the sequel's story too. Though Baraka might only have a small role in the movie, he's a general of the Tarkatan Horde and serves Outworld, and he's extremely loyal to Mileena and Shao Kahn too, having a particularly close relationship with Mileena. This all but confirms that Shao Kahn will be central to the plot, and Baraka will likely be answering to Shao Kahn in Mortal Kombat 2 and doing his dirty work. However, Baraka didn't turn on Kahn in the video game series, and that could happen in Mortal Kombat 2.

Related
8 New Mortal Kombat 2 Characters From The Video Games Explained
At least eight more characters from the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise are joining the fray in Mortal Kombat 2. Here's who they are.

Mortal Kombat 2 Is Learning Its Lessons From The First Movie

A blended image features Johnny Cage in the Mortal Kombat games and Cole in the Mortal Kombat 2021 movie

The Mortal Kombat 2 movie is the next step in establishing long-term prospects for Warner Bros.'s live-action reboot, and updates regarding the sequel suggest that the lessons from the first movie won't be ignored. Although Mortal Kombat 2 writer Jeremy Slater won't say anything about the actual story, he explains that they see the sequel "as a chance to take everything that worked in the first one and do it even better". Along with Slater's comments, producer Todd Garner has also assured fans that the sequel be an improvement over its predecessor.

Garner tweeted, "I’m thrilled to start & trust me, we’ve listened. We’ve learned from the mistakes & are committed to making the best MK2 possible." Garner isn't just saying what fans want to hear, as he's extremely vocal on Twitter, and during Mortal Kombat 2's development, he was constantly asking his followers what they want to see. Garner even posted a poll about fans' favorite realms, with the clear winner being Edenia, so it's likely that the Eden-influenced realm will appear in Mortal Kombat 2.

  • mortal-kombat 2 temp poster
    Mortal Kombat 2
    Director:
    Simon McQuoid
    Cast:
    Martyn Ford, Desmond Chiam, Ana Thu Nguyen, Damon Herriman, Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Tadanobu Asano, Mehcad Brooks, Ludi Lin, Karl Urban, Tati Gabrielle
    Rating:
    R
    Genres:
    Action, Horror, Martial Arts, Supernatural
    Writers:
    Jeremy Slater
    Characters By:
    Ed Boon, John Tobias
    Studio(s):
    Atomic Monster Productions, Broken Road Productions, New Line Cinema
    Distributor(s):
    Warner Bros. Pictures
    prequel(s):
    Mortal Kombat (2021)
    Franchise(s):
    Mortal Kombat