All About the “Mortal Kombat 2” Movie (Including Its Official Release Date!)
All About the “Mortal Kombat 2” Movie (Including Its Official Release Date!)
Christopher RudolphSat, April 11, 2026 at 2:00 PM UTC
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'Mortal Kombat 2'Credit: Warner Bros. -
Mortal Kombat 2 is the sequel to 2021's Mortal Kombat, based on the video game series
The new movie features fan-favorite fighter Johnny Cage, played by The Boys' Karl Urban
Director Simon McQuoid describes Mortal Kombat 2 as "significantly more intense" than its predecessor
Mortal Kombat 2 is about to test its might at the box office.
The latest adaptation of the action video game series is uppercutting its way into theaters, kicking off the summer blockbuster season with a flurry of powerful punches.
The sequel to 2021's Mortal Kombat features players' favorite characters coming to life as they try to survive the ultimate battle to save Earth.
The 2021 iteration followed a new character, an MMA fighter named Cole Young (Lewis Tan) who was transported into the world of the video game. It also featured other iconic characters from the Mortal Kombat universe, such as Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), Kano (Josh Lawson), Jax (Mehcad Brooks), Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada) and Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim).
When asked about a follow-up, actor Lawson told PEOPLE in an April 2021 interview that the "franchise potential is massive."
"There's so much you could explore not just from the characters we haven't met, but also the characters we have," he continued. "Even in the games, those characters have evolved ... There is evolution in the game, so why not in the films, as well?"
Here's everything to know about Mortal Kombat 2, including the release date, cast, plot details and more news.
What is Mortal Kombat 2 a sequel to?
Lewis Tan in 'Mortal Kombat' (2021)Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures
Mortal Kombat 2 is the sequel to 2021's Mortal Kombat. The video game franchise was previously adapted for the big screen with two movies, 1995's Mortal Kombat and 1997's Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.
The 2021 Mortal Kombat was not a sequel to the '90s movies, but a reboot of the film franchise.
Simon McQuoid made his directorial debut with Mortal Kombat and is returning to helm the upcoming second entry.
In a March 2025 interview with Entertainment Weekly, McQuoid said that he and screenwriter Jeremy Slater strived to "maximize everything" with Mortal Kombat 2.
"Just build on where we were and then make it significantly more intense, bigger in scale, bigger in variation, bigger across the board really as a cinematic experience," he revealed.
What will Mortal Kombat 2 be about?
Josh Lawson and Jessica McNamee in 'Mortal Kombat' (2021)Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
Mortal Kombat 2 will focus on the Mortal Kombat tournament, the big battle in which warriors from different realms face off against one another in a fight to the bloody finish. The tournament was mentioned in the 2021 movie and will now be the plot of the sequel.
In the previous Mortal Kombat film, sinister sorcerer Shang Tsung (Chin Han) attempted to kill Earth's warriors before they could compete in the Mortal Kombat tournament.
Now the ultimate challenge is here, and the stakes couldn't be higher because if the fighters from Earth aren't victorious, Outworld overlord Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford) will invade and take over the planet.
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Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon told EW that in Mortal Kombat 2 there will be "a visual representation of who is winning" the tournament.
"It's not just a tournament for the sake of a tournament," he continued. "There are huge consequences, so you really are keeping score. And there are a lot of twists in it that keep you on your toes."
Who plays Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 2?
Karl Urban at SXSW 2022 on March 12, 2022 in Austin, TexasCredit: Astrid Stawiarz/Getty
The Boys star Karl Urban will slip on Johnny Cage's sunglasses in Mortal Kombat 2.
The fan-favorite fighter is a parody of '90s action movie stars like Jean-Claude Van Damme, who was an inspiration for the character, according to Polygon. Johnny's introduction was teased in the 2021 film, and he will be one of the main characters in the sequel.
"You finally get to see Johnny Cage," Mortal Kombat co-creator Boon told EW. "His integration into the Mortal Kombat story and universe is a big part of what this movie explores. He's a washed-up Hollywood guy thrown into this magical, ultra-violent thing."
"Karl, his depiction of Johnny Cage is different than our games in some ways," Boon explained. "He's adding his own [flair] to it, but I think it'll feel fresh. There's like a novelty factor in there."
In December 2025, Urban told EW that playing Johnny Cage was the "most challenging role" of his career.
"It's the martial arts. The form and the style of martial arts is so specific, and the choreography, at times, is so definitive in its movement, and there's a precision of execution for it to look good. It was a huge challenge," he explained.
Who else is in the cast of Mortal Kombat 2?
Mehcad Brooks in 'Mortal Kombat' (2021)Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures
The Mortal Kombat 2 cast will include familiar faces and new ones as well, per Deadline, including:
Karl Urban as Johnny Cage
Adeline Rudolph as Kitana
Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade
Josh Lawson as Kano
Ludi Lin as Liu Kang
Mehcad Brooks as Jax
Tati Gabrielle as Jade
Lewis Tan as Cole Young
Damon Herriman as Quan Chi
Chin Han as Shang Tsung
Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden
Joe Taslim as Bi-Han/Noob Saibot
Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion
Martyn Ford as Shao Kahn
Desmond Chiam as Edenian King Jerrod
Ana Thu Nguyen as Queen Sindel
Max Huang as Kung Lao
CJ Bloomfield as Baraka
In a June 2025 interview with ComicBook.com, when asked about Mortal Kombat 2, screenwriter Slater said, "I think we nailed it."
"They had the best stunt team in the business working on this thing," he added. "The actors are phenomenal. It’s so much funnier and bigger than the first movie."
When is Mortal Kombat 2 coming out?
Lewis Tan in 'Mortal Kombat' (2021)Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures
Mortal Kombat 2 was originally set to be released in theaters on Oct. 24, 2025.
It was later delayed to May 15, 2026, before moving up a week to its new release date: May 8, per Deadline.
Where can I watch the Mortal Kombat movies?
'Mortal Kombat' (1995)Credit: AJ Pics / Alamy Stock Photo
Mortal Kombat (1995), Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997) and Mortal Kombat (2021) are all available to stream on HBO Max.
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