Mortal Kombat screenwriter Greg Russo revealed that Johnny Cage wasn't in the 2021 reboot because of Josh Lawson's performance as Kano. The first time since the iconic tournament was brought to life onscreen since 1997, Mortal Kombat features six out of seven of the original playable characters, including Sub-Zero, Liu Kang, Raiden, Scorpion, Sonya Blade, and Kano, with one notably absent. Each of these character's lives were established, with several earning their Arcanas along the way.

The film ends with the protectors of Earthrealm defeating the evil forces of the Outworld, but a tournament does not take place in the film, leaving that for the sequel. Also left for the sequel is Johnny Cage, the last remaining original character not included in the film. Lewis Tan's Cole Young sets off to Hollywood at the end of the film, hinting at his search for the bombastic character, but his presence is only alluded to and one character is responsible for that.

Related: Casting Johnny Cage For Mortal Kombat 2

Russo tells CinemaBlend that Johnny Cage isn't in Mortal Kombat because the crew loved Lawson as Kano so much. Russo says they made efforts to fit all of the characters in, but they didn't want to try and fit a character in that they couldn't give proper time to. Ultimately, Lawson's performance as Kano served as more than enough character and Russo and the team decided to save Johnny Cage for a sequel to give him his proper due.

We know who the classics are. We know who's in there. And it was about trying to fit them all in. Johnny cage is a character that we wanted to put in there. Ultimately the reason he's not in there is because of Kano, and we ended up loving Kano [Josh Lawson] in that role more.

I'd rather save them and do them right. Introduce them correctly later than try to jam them into a role where it doesn't feel natural.

Kano holds Reptile's heart in his hand

Lawson's character Kano serves as comic relief and his overbearing presence takes up the scene whenever he's onscreen. His flip from hero to villain is a pivotal moment in the film, but that's just seemingly one aspect of why his character edged out Johnny Cage's. In introducing such a large ensemble, Mortal Kombat already had a lot on its plate. Johnny Cage is similar to Kano in many ways, serving as comedic relief and having an outsized personality. Putting the two onscreen together would not only potentially stifle the other's performance, but it could also take away from the other characters being introduced throughout the rest of the film.

Saving Johnny Cage for a Mortal Kombat sequel is a smart choice on several levels. It gives fans something to look forward to in a second film while also keeping Cole Young involved as he seeks out the Hollywood star. Whether or not Mortal Kombat proves successful enough for a sequel remains to be seen, but with the film's cliffhanger ending and the promise of a tournament in the second film, fans will be clamoring for a follow-up more than ever.

More: Mortal Kombat Spin-Offs Would Be Better For Johnny Cage Than A Sequel

Source: CinemaBlend