Will there be another Mortal Kombat movie 2023?

While little concrete information exists, the Mortal Kombat fanbase is anticipating a sequel to the 2021 film in the next few years. The movie's existence was confirmed in January 2022, and it was recently announced that director Simon McQuoid would be returning alongside the writer of Moon Knight, Jeremy Slater, as a screenwriter. Beyond that, fans are left to guess at what the next film will bring. Apparently, this one will feature Johnny Cage and a formal Mortal Kombat tournament, which should keep the plot moving along at a brisk pace.

Pulling together actors and getting filming done seems to be an ongoing process, so there isn't likely to be much info over the coming years. Mortal Kombat’s fan community will have plenty of time to theorize and dream up scenarios for this new movie. So long as it isn't a repeat of the original 1995 Mortal Kombat movie being followed by the disastrous 1997 sequel Annihilation, there's a lot to potentially look forward to following the first film.

What Kombatants Could Be Expected in Mortal Kombat 2

One of the biggest questions concerning the Mortal Kombat movie sequel is who will star in it. New protagonist Cole Young and Johnny Cage are surefire inclusions, alongside Earthrealm defenders Raiden, Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, and Jax Briggs. The scheming Outworld wizard Shang Tsung will also appear, though his forces will have to be replaced. Despite coming in with the strong team of Sub-Zero, Mileena, Kabal, Kano, Reptile, General Reiko, Nitara, and Goro, Shang himself was the only survivor of the first film. The only casualty on the heroes' side was Kung Lao, with Scorpion departing after achieving his revenge.

That means plenty of familiar faces from the Mortal Kombat mythos should show up in the second reboot film. Shang Tsung has an enormous roster of villains to choose from, including the Edenian Princess Kitana, Jade, another clone of Mileena, Baraka, another Reptile, Shiva, and Kintaro. More traitorous Earthrealm characters could also show up, including the corrupt Lin Kuei clan and their cyborg ninjas, or a newly mechanized Kano. Even dead Sub-Zero could return as Noob Saibot, prompting Scorpion’s return and the appearance of a new, more heroic Sub-Zero related to the first. Throw in a couple of surprises from the PS2 or modern MK eras like Havok or Erron Black, and MK2's roster could be even better than the last film’s.

What Could Happen in the Mortal Kombat Movie Sequel

It's clear that the Mortal Kombat sequel has no shortage of characters to work with. As long as no significant changes are made, the Earthrealm combatants will recruit Johnny Cage and proceed with the Mortal Kombat tournament. Much of their training is already complete, so the film will be able to quickly proceed to the main event. There's a good chance it will take place in a secluded location recalling Shang Tsung's Island from the original Mortal Kombat game. Various combatants will mingle, and the tournament will be underway throughout the back end of the film.

The individual arcs of various characters are unclear, especially considering the final cast list has not been confirmed. Either way, Johnny Cage should slot into the naive newcomer role, while simultaneously providing most of the comic relief. Cole, Sonya, and Liu Kang may get into leadership arguments as they all feel responsible for taking care of the team, while Liu Kang is motivated to try harder because of Kung Lao's death. Liu Kang may also begin his traditional romance arc with Kitana, while Johnny Cage starts his with Sonya. At the end, the heroes will face Shang Tsung in a climactic final battle, but their victory does not guarantee Earthrealm’s safety yet.

How Mortal Kombat 2 Could Set Up a Cinematic Universe

There are a lot of layers to the Mortal Kombat universe, and over the decades there have been plenty of stories told within it. If the Mortal Kombat 2 movie proves as successful as the first, it would be perfectly reasonable to keep the franchise going with more films. The production staff know this, and statements have already been made indicating that an MCU approach may be taken, with spin-offs and further sequels set up using just about any character. The ending to the original 1995 Mortal Kombat film could be replicated with Shao Kahn appearing to challenge Earth's heroes once more. The villainous lineage of Shao Kahn, Shinnok, and possibly some other villains like Onaga, Quan Chi, or Blaze could be teased at any time

Just about any character from the pre-reboot timeline could make a cameo, either in the background, in dialogue, or as a member of Shang Tsung’s team. Even major side characters from the modern MK game trilogy like Kotal Kahn or Geras could be alluded to in dialogue, and of course, there is plenty to be done with major characters such as the likely second Sub-Zero and Kitana's backstory with Shao Kahn, Sindel, and Edenia. Even the Special Forces and Black Dragon’s conflict could be built out. There is a lot to be done with Mortal Kombat, and hopefully fans have plenty of new adventures and Fatalities on the big screen to anticipate.

Mortal Kombat 2 is officially in development.

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