Mortal Kombat is an American series of martial arts action films based on the fighting video game series of the same name by Midway Games. The first film was produced by Lawrence Kasanoff’s Threshold Entertainment. The first film, Mortal Kombat, was released in 1995 and its sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, was released in 1997. After the two films, game publisher Midway filed for bankruptcy. Warner Bros., having become the parent of New Line Cinema in 2008 (after over a decade of both operating as separate divisions of Time Warner), made a bid to purchase most of Midway’s assets, including Mortal Kombat. In June 2009, Kasanoff and Threshold sued in bankruptcy court, arguing that they owned the copyright to many of the characters from the series.
Warner Bros.’ live-action Mortal Kombat from 2021 is set to receive a sequel, and updates on Mortal Kombat 2 are rapidly emerging now that the film is in production. The Mortal Kombat movie universe is poised for expansion, with the sequel introducing several characters from the games. Notably, Johnny Cage, Shao Kahn, and Sindel will make their live-action debuts in Mortal Kombat 2, hinting at a storyline that delves even deeper into the rich lore of the Mortal Kombat beat-em-up games.
The Mortal Kombat film from 2021 marked the third live-action adaptation of the game franchise, and Mortal Kombat 2 will serve as a direct sequel. Staying true to its promise of an R-rating, the 2021 Mortal Kombat movie largely remained faithful to the game, bringing iconic characters to life while also expanding the lore by introducing new characters like Cole Young (portrayed by Lewis Tan). With Mortal Kombat 2, expectations are high for the franchise to continue its successful cinematic journey that began with the live-action debuts of Sub Zero, Scorpion, and others.
