Mortal Kombat is a phenomenon. The beating game series, incorrectly classified as “Beat’en Ups” in Germany in the 1990s, has managed to remain relevant to the present day. Mortal Kombat 11, released in 2019, was a huge hit, especially in the US. The popularity of the franchise is based primarily on the games, but the brand also knew how to convince in the cinema.
Mortal Kombat in the cinema – a successful comeback
Four years after the release of the arcade machines In 1996 the first full-length feature film hit the cinemas. At that time, Christopher Lambert (Highlander) managed to sign a real Hollywood star. The film by Resident Evil director Paul WS Anderson just cost $18 million and played $122 million at the box office.
With Mortal Kombat (buy now )2 – annihilation The sequel was released in cinemas a year later. With just half the box office of its predecessor, the film flopped and buried the brand Mortal Kombat in the cinema. In 2021, the reboot managed a successful restart. The movie with the Nuremberg Max Huang in the role of Kung Lao could worldwide $85 million import – apparently enough to shoot a sequel. Mortal Kombat was released at the same time as streaming, which prevented it from grossing more.
When is a new Mortal Kombat movie coming to theaters and who is starring?
New Zealand actor Karl Urban had his international breakthrough in 2002 at the age of 30 as Éomer in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. This was followed by engagements in Hollywood films such as Riddick: Chronicles of the Warriors (2004), the reboot of Star Trek (2009) or Marvel’s Thor: Ragnarok.
Karl Urban has also been in the acclaimed TV series since 2019 theboys to be seen as Billy Butcher. According to rumors, the busy mime is in final negotiations for the role as Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 2. The at Jean Claude Van Damme inspired fighter has been around since the very first video game in the series.
Karl Urban has already gained experience in video game film adaptations. In 2005 he starred in Doom the Movie opposite Dwayne “The Rock”‘Johnson. It is not yet clear when Mortal Kombat 2 will hit theaters. Should Karl Urban actually participate, the series would again have a real Hollywood star on board 27 years after its cinema debut.
Source: Comic Book Movie
