Mortal Kombat 2 movie: Johnny Cage will be different from games

Mortal Kombat is a big franchise in both games and cinema. Its first movie (1995) was an example of video game adaptation done right. Ahead of the release of Mortal Kombat 2 (planned for October 2025), Ed Boon shared with journalists some details about the movie.

He talked about a key character in the upcoming film—Johnny Cage, who will be played by Karl Urban. According to Ed Boon, Urban will bring a fresh take on Johnny's character, adding his own unique twist to the eccentric Hollywood star. 

Image: ew.com

Boon also revealed that Cage will serve as the audience’s perspective in the story, and his on-screen presence will be highly entertaining—his introduction in Mortal Kombat 2 already caused roars of laughter during test screenings.

This has some longtime fans feeling a bit uneasy. While Johnny Cage has always been a parody of Hollywood action stars, he’s never been purely a comedic character. Given that the first film in this new Mortal Kombat movie series (2021) received mixed reviews, and Mortal Kombat 1 as a game didn't generate the same hype as Street Fighter 6, some are questioning whether the franchise is facing a crisis of identity.

Image: ew.com

That said, it might be best to wait and see—we’ll get our answer when Mortal Kombat 2 hits theaters in late October.

Main image: ew.com