Here's why Kitana didn't make an appearance in Mortal Kombat's 2021 movie reboot, and if she might appear in a sequel. The original Mortal Kombat arcade game became hugely popular for its bone-crunching gameplay and gore. While it's fairly tame by modern standards - and certainly those of the most recent entries in the series - the violence also generated controversy, with parents and politicians alike complaining about the effect it would have on younger players.
Of course, this only made the games more popular, and a movie version arrived in 1995. The Mortal Kombat movie toned down the bloodshed for a PG-13 rating, but while it was both a box-office hit and remains a favorite among fans, the franchise had mixed fortune with live-action adaptations from that point on. The 1997 sequel Annihilation is considered one of the worst video games movies ever made (no mean feat), while TV show adaptations like Conquest or Legacy didn't last long.
After a planned third movie subtitled Devastation didn't happen, the big-screen version of the franchise was relaunched with 2021's Mortal Kombat. This Simon McQuoid helmed adventure took an unusual approach by not actually featuring the tournament itself, and instead finds the Earthrealm warriors targeted by Chin Han's Shang Tsung and his assassins before the tournament can begin. While the movie features a roster of Outworld fighters like Sub-Zero, Mileena and even lesser-known Mortal Kombat fighters like Nitara, the character of Kitana is notably absent.
In the Mortal Kombat games, Kitana is an Outworld Princess and Shoa Khan's adopted daughter. She later turns on her cruel father to join Earthrealm's side and most famously fights with bladed fans. She also appeared in both of the previous live-action films, played by Talisa Soto. Talking with CBR, screenwriter Greg Russo explained that while Kitana is one of his favorite characters from the games, that "... she was someone I had to wait on."
This suggests that Kitana was left out of Mortal Kombat 2021 so the focus could be on setting up the Earthrealm fighters - including Lewis Tan's franchise newcomer Cole Young - but that she will be introduced in a sequel. In a way, this makes sense as while Outworld is glimpsed in the new movie, it's not the focus of the story. Kitana was also introduced in the Mortal Kombat II game, and fans might prefer to see her with a large role in a sequel than a supporting part or cameo in the first outing. Given that Kitana is one of the most popular fighters in the series, it feels like a given that if a Mortal Kombat sequel does happen, she will appear somehow.