Mortal Kombat II is taking followers again to Netherrealm on Could 8, 2026, and the minds behind the live-action adaptation are promising a veritable curler coaster experience of feelings. The 2021 Mortal Kombat reboot noticed Sonya Blade, Jax, and Cole Younger searching for Johnny Cage and different Earthrealm fighters to construct out their roster, and the 2026 sequel is lastly delivering on a few of these hotly anticipated characters.
Karl City joins the franchise because the legendary Johnny Cage, alongside Adeline Rudolph as Kitana, Tati Gabrielle as Jade, and Martyn Ford as Shao Kahn. The Mortal Kombat II panel at New York Comedian Con revealed that Cage and Kitana’s arcs shall be on the forefront of the movie, whereas Jade’s relationship with the latter shall be a part of the story’s emotional heart. Whereas director Simon McQuoid affords a way of continuity between the 2 motion pictures, screenwriter Jeremy Slater is stepping in as a contemporary pair of eyes.
ScreenRant‘s Liam Crowley interviewed the Mortal Kombat II group, together with the unique recreation’s creator Ed Boon, about what to anticipate from the sequel whereas at NYCC. The forged shared their pleasure about becoming a member of the franchise, McQuoid defined the pre-production course of that ensured a tighter focus, Boon promised “double the variety of fights“, and Slater felt unafraid to hype the movie to excessive heavens.
Mortal Kombat II Is An Even Extra Elevated Expertise Than The First Movie
ScreenRant: Simon, this movie has been a very long time coming. I do know it was impacted by the strike, guys shot manufacturing starting in June of 2023, and now we’re right here. How did you make it possible for, all through the course of manufacturing, your imaginative and prescient for Mortal Kombat II stayed constant even with the breaks?
Simon McQuoid: There have been breaks, and there have been some frustrations, however the breaks got here at good occasions. The author’s strike occurred simply after Jeremy had executed all of the work, in order that was superb. Then we obtained into pre-production, and that is nearly my favourite a part of making the film. It is the place the tone will get constructed, it is the place the actual calibration occurs of the place I would like the emotion, and, “How are we going to convey this collectively?” What I would like it to appear like, what I would like it to really feel like.
When all these guys began rolling up and we began capturing, we sort of locked it in. Everybody felt prefer it was a very pleasing expertise, these first days when everybody got here. We had been speaking about character, and we had been getting costumes, in order that was nearly the ultimate a part of the creation of the tone.
Actually, what I try to do is construct it in pre-production, and my objective then is to have all of it deliberate, have it meticulously labored out. So, once we’re capturing, it is simply actually simply ensuring that it stays on the right track. In the end, shoot days sort of simply take care of themselves. I feel I used to be fortunate the place they landed, and I by no means actually obtained compromised with how I saved a watch on the tone.
ScreenRant: Ed, it is a world that you just created. So many nice motion sequences have been dropped at life by the artwork of video video games, however live-action appearing is an entire completely different beast. Was this a mission that you just ever thought might be realized earlier than that first movie, and the way does Mortal Kombat II elevate the motion that preceded it?
Ed Boon: I feel it not less than doubles the variety of fights. It is loopy how intense it’s when it comes to the amount of motion that’s on this film. And the fights, what I really like about them is that they’re supernatural mixed with martial arts, so that you at all times see loopy, over-the-top issues.
These characters are doing issues which might be clearly not possible, however they’re plenty of enjoyable to look at. That is just about what the online game is. The online game is that this hyperrealistic model of preventing, and it interprets nice into this movie.
ScreenRant: Jeremy, was there something you thought was too formidable if you wrote it on the web page, however that Simon or your actors had been in a position to convey it to life? Was there something you simply could not imagine was taking place earlier than your eyes?
Jeremy Slater: I am unable to let you know what a blessing it’s as a author to have a forged like this, the place you possibly can ask them to make you cry or you possibly can ask them to do a again flip, and so they can pull off each. That is fairly uncommon when it comes to writing.
However then to have Simon and his imaginative and prescient for this, and the stunt group he has assembled is subsequent to none. I’ve already gotten in hassle as soon as at the moment for over-hyping this film, however with that mentioned, if this film had come out this 12 months, it will’ve been the perfect motion film of this 12 months. The truth that it is popping out subsequent 12 months, it is simply going to be the perfect motion film of subsequent 12 months. That is what an exceptional job Simon and his forged did. The film’s simply f—-ng superior.
Mortal Kombat Stars Share Their Sincere Opinion About Becoming a member of The Iconic Franchise
ScreenRant: I am positive you’ve got seen fan artwork of yourselves as these characters. How has it felt to turn out to be a part of such a beloved franchise?
Karl City: It blows me away how a lot love there’s for Mortal Kombat on the market, and it is justified, too. It is such a improbable recreation with such a wealthy lore and depth of great characters, and it is nice to fulfill followers who’re so genuinely into it and keen about it.
We will not anticipate them to see this movie, as a result of it is obtained plenty of coronary heart, plenty of motion, and it may be one thing to behold.
Rudolph added that she liked how, “As soon as the characters that will truly be within the film had been confirmed, followers began creating fan artwork.” This was particularly prevalent together with her character. “We might see what they wished Kitana to appear like earlier than they knew what the official costume would appear like, and it was cool to see the completely different variations. I am excited that everybody else is happy.”
Tati Gabrielle: It made the little child in me go loopy. I used to be similar to, “Yo, what?” Particularly seeing all of the fan artwork and issues. It nonetheless sort of looks like a bizarre dream generally. Like, “Oh my God, is that this my life? Is that this what’s taking place?” It is such an honor to be obtained in such an exquisite method by the followers, and to know that they are excited and open to a brand new iteration. It is simply actually particular; the child in me resides for it.
Ford obtained a bit cheeky, declaring that, “Shao Khan is without doubt one of the largest, finest — that is in all probability a really biased opinion — characters in appears and grandeur.” For that cause, he could not be happier to turn out to be a part of the Netherrealm. “To get to place that on and really feel as if the character’s actual inside myself was such a humbling expertise and a lot enjoyable.”
I am positive each single particular person feels the identical about their very own character. If you get to play the half, you simply have such an attachment, and it is such a particular feeling. To see the followers’ love for that character feels unbelievable, to be trustworthy.
Johnny Cage Actor Karl City Compares Mortal Kombat II To The Boys
ScreenRant: What’s gorier, Mortal Kombat II or The Boys season 5?
Karl City: Oh, man, come on. That is a troublesome query, which I can’t reply out of respect for The Boys. However I’ll say that Mortal Kombat doesn’t disappoint on a mess of ranges.
If you happen to’re a fan of the sport and go to the cinema, you are going to love this film. If you happen to’ve by no means watched or performed Mortal Kombat, and also you go to the cinema, you are going to love this film. As a result of this film is made for followers of massive, enjoyable, daring motion, epic adventures. You are in for a hell of a experience.
ScreenRant: What aspect of Mortal Kombat II do you assume goes to shock followers?
Simon McQuoid: I feel what I wished to create, and Jeremy began it with the script, is to have decrease lows and better highs with the characters and what they must undergo.
There’s plenty of emotion on this film, and I really feel just like the fights turn out to be all of the stronger, and all of the extra pleasing to look at should you’ve hooked into the characters, and you actually need to go on their journey with them. So, I feel there’s plenty of emotion on this movie.
Karl City: Epic motion. I let you know, I’ve executed just a few motion, stunt, and fight-related tasks. This, by far, was probably the most technically difficult sequence of fights that I’ve ever executed. The stunt group that we now have on this — Kyle Gardiner, Mike Lehr, the entire group — approached this with such ardour and such reverence for not solely the sport, however different martial artists which have been predominant within the style.
They knocked it out of the park, and so they made us look good. I am unable to anticipate you guys to see it. It will be enjoyable.
Mortal Kombat II arrives in theaters on Could 8, 2026.
Take a look at our different NYCC 2025 interviews right here: