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.

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.

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