Mortal Kombat's Lewis Tan loved our April Fool's Day joke that Keanu Reeves would be playing Johnny Cage in the film's sequel. The 2021 reboot introduced six of the seven original playable characters from the video game franchise, including Sub-Zero, Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, Kano, Raiden, and Scorpion, but Johnny Cage was absent from the roster. Producers explained why Johnny Cage isn't in Mortal Kombat, but the end of the film signaled the introduction of the iconic character in a potential sequel.
After the defenders of Earthrealm defeat the forces of Outerworld, there's still another Mortal Kombat tournament to deal with in the future and the introduction of the Hollywood star. Tan's Cole Young sets out at the end of the film in search of Cage, who will be featured prominently in Mortal Kombat 2. First, though, producers will have to cast the character, and the cast of Mortal Kombat had some suggestions.
Speaking to CinemaBlend, Tan suggested some names he would like to see play Johnny Cage. One of those was Scott Atkins, but the actor goes on to talk about an April Fool's Joke that suggested Reeves would be playing Johnny Cage. Tan says that Reeves as Cage would be a very interesting casting choice but stops short of fully endorsing Reeves in the role.
I think that Johnny is such an iconic character and I think that we were building a new energy for this movie. We're building something that is respectful of the franchise from before, but we're also bringing a new era, like the trailer said, you know what I mean? That's how we really feel about it. So there's many ways that it can go in my mind. There was an April fool's joke on Twitter that I saw where it was like Keanu Reeves is going to play Johnny Cage, and I was like, that's a pretty interesting casting.
Reeves is a formidable action star, carrying franchises like The Matrix and John Wick to massive box office success. In the role of Cage, Reeves could be even more boisterous and flamboyant, as the Hollywood star is known for his cockiness in the Mortal Kombat games. Unfortunately, Reeves is pretty busy and it seems unlikely that he would attach himself to another major franchise while continuing to work on others. Sub-Zero actor Joe Taslim signed a five-movie contract so if Mortal Kombat continues to be successful, the franchise could be in theaters for years to come.
Even if Reeves' casting is a long shot, one thing is sure: Johnny Cage is no small role to fill and producers must find the perfect person to fill the larger-than-life shoes. Johnny Cage's appearance in a potential sequel will also give fans something to look forward to in another Mortal Kombat installment. Despite the film being overloaded with fighters as it is, there is plenty of room for the franchise to grow and adding Johnny Cage will be the first step in taking a potential sequel to the next level.
Source: CinemaBlend