The stars of Mortal Kombat have shared which DC characters they’d most like to fight in a potential crossover. Because both franchises are owned by Warner Bros. and feature supernatural elements and one-on-one battles, they have frequently been compared, even crossing over in some official media like the video game Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. The new Mortal Kombat is scheduled to premiere in the U.S. on April 23, simultaneously in theaters and streaming on HBO Max.
Though it started out as a video game series, Mortal Kombat has a lot in common with comic book universes like DC and Marvel. From its distinct teams and factions of superpowered characters to its different realms, extensive lore, and occasional time travel, MK has used franchises like DC as a model in many ways. As the Mortal Kombat brand has expanded over the years, that lore has played into many stories beyond the core games.
It’s fun to envision an MK/DC crossover, especially with new versions of the characters coming in the live-action Mortal Kombat reboot. In a new video from ComicBook, the stars of the new movie share which DC characters they’d most like to see their MK fighters matched up against. Batman was a common pick, which makes sense given his own martial arts skill, Liu Kang actor Ludi Lin chose the Joker, and Lewis Tan said he wants to see Cole Young battle the Red Hood. Wonder Woman and Superman were also popular picks, With Josh Lawson (Kano) wanting to go up against the Amazonian, and Mehcad Brooks claiming Jax could go toe-to-toe with the Man of Steel.
If Mortal Kombat does well upon release, it could easily be the start of a whole cinematic franchise. Director Simon McQuoid and producer Todd Garner have spoken at length about their hopes for Mortal Kombat sequels and spinoffs. A number of the film’s stars have also shared pitches for additional films, including a Sub-Zero prequel for Joe Taslim and a Kung Lao/Liu Kang spinoff for Ludi Lin and Max Huang.
As Warner Bros. continues to build out its key franchises for original content on HBO Max, Mortal Kombat could also have a bright future in streaming. The mythos of the MK universe is extensive and primed for character-driven side stories, and early reviews point to a reboot that fully embraces the lore of the games. That’s great news for fans who want to see the franchise grow. It likely won’t usurp DC anytime soon, but if Mortal Kombat is a success, maybe a proper cinematic DC crossover could be in the cards down the line.
Source: ComicBook
