The upcoming Mortal Kombat film will reveal the true identity of new character Cole Young. For the first time since 1997's Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, the beloved video game franchise is once again making the jump to the big screen. Known for its incredibly violent fatalities, Mortal Kombat has long been a mainstay of the fighting game genre, and its attempts to switch to movies have been varied in their quality. While the first movie, simply titled Mortal Kombat, received mixed-to-positive responses, Annihilation was considered to be a huge downturn in quality. With this new Mortal Kombat, the hope is that the franchise will be redeemed.
Directed by Simon McQuoid, Mortal Kombat will tell the familiar story of the forces of Earthrealm as they fight off the warriors from Outworld who seek to take the earth for their own. Several major characters from the games will factor into the film, from Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim, the main villian) to Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada). However, one of the most prominent characters of Mortal Kombat doesn't hail from the games at all: Lewis Tan's Cole Young. Ever since the character was first introduced, fans have theorized about just who Cole could truly be.
Cole's identity isn't clear right now, but it will be revealed in time. During a Mortal Kombat roundtable discussion, producer Todd Garner and McQuoid were asked about what sets Cole apart from the other characters, save for his origins as a newcomer and his placement as an audience stand-in. Garner admitted he really couldn't go into much detail and even referenced the many theories he's seen from fans. In the end, though, Garner said fans will understand who Cole truly is. He said:
Todd Garner: Wish I could answer that question. I'll be able to answer it after you see the movie. You'll see. Beyond what I told you, I can't tell you anymore.
If you just scroll down my Twitter feel, Cole Young is Johnny Cage; he's not Johnny Cage. He's Scorpion; he's not Scorpion. He's Sub-Zero; he's not Sub-Zero. He's this character; he's Tanaka; he's Baraka. He's one of those things, probably.
At the end of it, you'll either go, "Oh, I see. That's why they did it." Where I get killed, because my question is half-answered, and I'm being honest with you - my half answer is he's the narrator, and he's the eyes into the movie. Instantaneously, you can come up with 12 other characters in the Mortal Kombat universe that could accomplish that task. That's only half of it. The other half, I can't tell you.
As Garner mentioned, fans have been filled with numerous ideas about who Cole actually is within the greater Mortal Kombat world. From a reincarnated Scorpion to the surprisingly-missing Johnny Cage, it feels like he could truly end up being anyone. That Garner and McQuoid are so interested in keeping Cole's identity a secret indicates it's important to the greater scheme of things. Whether it will play out like fans are expecting remains to be seen, but it could very well factor into future Mortal Kombat installments, should they end up happening.
So far, Mortal Kombat has received very positive responses from fans. The biggest issue that has cropped up has been the lack of Johnny Cage, but he will certainly appear in those aforementioned potential sequels. Though a new character like Cole might seem like an odd lead for a franchise starter like Mortal Kombat, there's definitely a plan in place, and fans will soon get their answers when the film arrives in a month's time.
Source: Mortal Kombat Roundtable Discussion
