Eight months after its theatrical and HBO Max release, 2021's Mortal Kombat has remained hugely popular. It has become the most-watched movie on the streaming platform that had a day-and-date release, and constant rumors are surrounding a sequel or whatever the next installment of the franchise may be.
The movie's success is largely thanks to how faithful it is to the video game series it's based on, but the adaptation could have had a very different outcome. Between going too overboard on the violence, the adlibs from the cast, and Easter eggs that didn't make the cut, there could have been so many variations of the new film.
The Sound Team Got Creative With The Gore Sounds
More often than not, sound editors use sounds from a digital library, which is full of thousands of files that would perfectly fit almost any movie effect. However, Adrian Medhurst went above and beyond for the film. Medhurst is a foley designer, which is somebody who reproduces everyday sound effects.
Given that Mortal Kombat is full of unique effects of transformations and, of course, fatalities, in a behind-the-scenes clip, Medhurst used things like wet gravel and celery to get the type of effects he needed. He even used a bell pepper for the sound of Mileena (Sisi Stringer) unhinging her jaw because of how hollow and crunchy the vegetable is.
Josh Lawson Didn't Expect To Get Any Attention For Playing Kano
Though there are loads of reasons to love the movie, the depth of the characters isn't its strong suit. However, Kano (Josh Lawson) was one of the biggest takeaways of the movie, as his negative attitude, anti-hero-like actions, and hilarious one-liners were so entertaining.
However, Lawson explained that he was surprised by the fan response to his depiction of the character and that when he was on set, he didn't think that anybody would notice. Lawson said he's used to terrible reviews, but Kano is one of Mortal Kombat's best characters.
Josh Lawson Improvised A Lot Of The One-Liners Too
Not only did the Australian actor nail the performance of Kano — it's hard to see anybody else as the character — but the dialogue probably wouldn't have been half as great if somebody else was cast either. According to Lawson, director Simon McQuoid allowed for plenty of improvisation.
How many of Lawson's lines were improvised is unknown, but it sounds like a lot. The actor does come from somewhat of a comedy background, as he has featured in the Will Ferrell comedies The Campaign and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. Ferrell's gold standard improv skills must have rubbed off on the actor, as Lawson explains that no two scenes were the same.
A "Toasty" Easter Egg Was Cut
There are tons of great quotes in Mortal Kombat, whether it's Kano making fun of Kung Lao or the menacing monologues between Sub-Zero and Scorpion. However, the most memorable of them all will always be the ones that came from the game. Between Scorpion's iconic "Get over here!" to the game's affirmations like "flawless victory," they're all present in the 2021 movie.
However, there's one beloved phrase from the game, which is when MK creator Dan Forden yells "toasty" when an uppercut connects. Mortal Kombat screenwriter Greg Russo did include the line in the screenplay, but it was cut out of the final draft, presumably out of fear that it was just too cringy.
Sub-Zero's Outfit Weighed 33 Pounds
These days, there aren't many practical outfits — especially not ones so heavy. Even most superhero suits seem extremely light so that the actors and stunt doubles can perform stunts. And in some cases, the suits are completely CGI. The Avengers' suits in Avengers: Endgame when they time travel were 100% computer-generated.
However, Sub-Zero's (Joe Taslim) outfit was almost like a throwback to the way '90s movies were made, as the suit weighed a whopping 33 pounds. It's a testament to how great of a martial artist Taslim is, being able to perform all those fights with that outfit weighing him down so much.
Joe Taslim Signed A Five-Movie Deal
Joe Taslim is a triple-threat, as he's so skilled in martial arts, stunts, and acting, that he completely cuts out the need for a stunt double. When a studio has the chance to work with him on a huge franchise, it's best to lock him in for as long as possible. That's exactly what Warner Bros. did, as, according to Taslim, he signed a five-movie deal.
With there not being any sequel announced yet, this news inspires hope in fans. There are so many reasons why fans need a Mortal Kombat sequel, and though Sub-Zero was murdered, there could easily be a spin-off or prequel focusing on the character.
Simon McQuoid Banned Any Talk Of Sequels On Set
It isn't just fans who want a sequel, but the actors too. Though there's no knowing how much they discussed it on set, it must have been enough for McQuoid to ban the cast from talking about it. According to CBR, the director didn't allow any discussions of potential sequels while shooting.
However, it has now been eight months since the movie's release, and a sequel announcement must be imminent. It was already revealed that Warner Bros. is discussing sequel ideas, and with Mortal Kombat being the most-watched movie on HBO Max in 2021, it makes fans extra hopeful for a sequel.
The Fatality Sets Made Lewis Tan Feel Sick
The uniquely created sound effects really make the movie's production original, but the practical sets deserve credit too. There's obviously a lot of digital effects in the 2021 movie, but unlike many blockbuster films released today, there were a surprising amount of practically built sets too, and that includes ones for the famous fatalities.
But the gruesome sets were too much for Lewis Tan, who plays Cole Young. The actor recalls the time he accidentally walked onto the wrong set, which was a post-fatality set, and he colorfully explains that "it looked like somebody destroyed a buffet line," and he was sick to his stomach.
Lewis Tan Might Not Have Been In Mortal Kombat As He Was Almost Cast As Shang-Chi
According to Tan, he came extremely close to being cast as the titular character in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and he was heartbroken when he got the call that he was turned down.
Being cast in a Marvel movie would have been a breakthrough for the actor, but thankfully, he was cast as Cole Young not long after. If he was cast in the MCU film, it's highly unlikely that he would have starred in Mortal Kombat, as the two were released at a similar time and there were probably overlapping production schedules too.
The Movie Almost Got An NC-17 Rating
Mortal Kombat doesn't hold back on the vulgar language or the grotesque fatalities, and that's largely why the movie is so satisfying, as the original 1995 movie was rated PG. The 2021 reboot takes the R-rating as far as it can go, so much so that it almost got an NC-17 rating.
McQuoid hilariously notes that he got "to NC-17 territory pretty quick," explaining that there are some things he wanted to adapt from the video game, but it would have been impossible to keep the R-rating. However, some of the fatalities in the movie come pretty close...