The Mortal Kombat movie from 1995 is still seen as one of the better examples of a video game film adaptation, but the movie nearly had a cameo from Stephen Spielberg that could have taken it to a whole other level.
The ‘90s Mortal Kombat film is a very loving tribute to the violent video game series and the movie was able to find enough of an audience that it spawned a sequel and several offshoot properties. The exaggerated series has always pushed a dark sense of humor and a level of self-awareness, which the feature film attempted to capitalize on. There are some entertaining gags throughout the movie, but there were also more elaborate ideas in mind that didn’t get a chance to happen.
Part of the charm of the Mortal Kombat series is that it includes many fighters who have been assembled from all different walks of life. Johnny Cage is a character who comes from a very modern environment. He’s a movie star and action hero that’s pushed into real-life danger as he enters the Mortal Kombat tournament. Johnny Cage comes from the world of cinema, and is portrayed as a parody of Hollywood to some extent, so it’s only fitting that this character would be Steven Spielberg’s entry point to the Mortal Kombat film.
Spielberg Was Supposed To Cameo In Mortal Kombat: Why He Didn't
Steven Spielberg is known for his prolific film career, but the director has also shown that he’s a fan of video games throughout the years. Spielberg helped produce the overlooked Wii title, Boom Blox and at one point he was even helping develop a Halo TV series. Furthermore, Ready Player One is a film that’s heavily entrenched in video game culture and requires a certain understanding and love for video games to properly come together. However, back in the ‘90s when video games were a much less established industry, Steven Spielberg was still a modest gamer and had an interest in the medium. Mortal Kombat was even one of the director’s favorite games.
Spielberg was a fan of the Mortal Kombat games and recognized their widespread appeal, so he agreed to make a self-aware cameo in the movie as Johnny Cage’s director. Johnny Cage’s introduction in the film lampoons both Hollywood action films and the Mortal Kombat games, but Spielberg’s cameo would have been a fitting final touch. Spielberg was game for the appearance, but scheduling conflicts got in the way and he had to pull out of his commitment.
Spielberg might have been unable to appear in Mortal Kombat’s adaptation, but he felt bad enough about dropping out that he still allowed the film to poke fun at him in the director role he was supposed to play. Sandy Helberg stepped in to play the role in the end, but the character’s look is still modeled after Spielberg and intentionally brings the director to mind. Even though it’s not actually Steven Spielberg in the role, the implication is still that Johnny Cage works with him. Maybe the upcoming Mortal Kombat reboot will find a way to fit Spielberg in somehow.
