Key Takeaways
- Mortal Kombat 2 has received an R-rating from the MPA.
- New characters like Johnny Cage, played by Karl Urban, will be introduced in the sequel.
- The film is expected to continue where the first film left off, possibly showcasing Mortal Kombat’s iconic tournament.
Recent years have seen many video game adaptations perform well enough to receive a sequel and one of those is the recent Mortal Kombat movie. The upcoming action film recently received its official rating from the Motion Picture Association and it won’t come as a surprise to many.
Mortal Kombat is based on NetherRealm’s hugely popular fighting game franchise. Simon McQuoid directed the 2021 film adaptation with James Wan on board as a producer. The movie featured many of the game’s iconic player characters, including Josh Lawson as Kano, Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, Sisi Stringer as Mileena, Mehcad Brooks as Jax, Tadanobu Asano as Raiden, and Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion. The film performed well at the box office, but even better upon its streaming debut on HBO Max, which all but guaranteed a sequel.
Related
New Mortal Kombat 2 Photo Teases An Iconic Game Villain’s Appearance
Mortal Kombat 2’s villain was teased in a new photo from the set of the highly-anticipated sequel shared by movie producer Todd Garner.
Mortal Kombat 2 Receives Rating
Filming for Mortal Kombat 2 took place in 2023 with McQuoid directing once again and many of the same cast members reprising their roles. Mortal Kombat 2 is slated for release on October 24, 2025, but has already received its official rating. The MPAA has rated the film R for “strong bloody violence and gore, and language.” This will come as no surprise to Mortal Kombat fans, as the game is known for its brutality, particularly its viscerally gory finishing moves. The first Mortal Kombat movie was also rated R and delivered on that promise with its violent fight scenes.
Mortal Kombat 2 Will Introduce More Fan-Favorite Characters From the Games
Along with returning cast members like Lewis Tan, McNamee, Brooks and more, there will be new characters introduced in Mortal Kombat 2 who fans may be familiar with. Karl Urban is the biggest new addition, picking up the role of action movie star turned martial artist Johnny Cage. Cage’s appearance in the film has many excited and Urban’s fellow cast member, Tan, teased earlier in the year that “[he’s] maybe different from what people are expecting.” Tati Gabrielle also joins the cast as Jade and is one of many new actors on Mortal Kombat 2 including Martyn Ford (Shao Kahn), Desmon Chiam (King Jerrod), Ana Thu Nguyen (Queen Sindel), and Damon Herriman (Quan Chi).
The movie is expected to continue the plot of the first film which saw Tan’s original character, Cole Young, trained by some of Mortal Kombat’s greatest champions in preparation to stand with them against enemies from the Outworld. The first movie skipped over Mortal Kombat’s iconic tournament, but it’s hoped the second movie will finally showcase the fighting event fans have been waiting for.
The last game released by NetherRealm in the franchise was Mortal Kombat 1 in 2023 which has continued to publish new content in its post-release plan, including adding new DLC fighters and providing creative new “animality” finishing moves. In place of a new Mortal Kombat game, the release of Mortal Kombat 2 will hopefully sustain fans until more content is released.
Mortal Kombat 2 is scheduled to be released in theaters on October 24, 2025.
More
Mortal Kombat 2: New Look At Karl Urban As Johnny Cage Revealed In Set Pic
As Mortal Kombat 2 resumes filming, newcomer Karl Urban gives fans a sneak peek at himself and his fellow additions for the sequel.