A Classic Fighting Franchise Can Be The Next Arcane If Given the Chance

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home January 10, 2025 11 Views 6 Min Read
A Classic Fighting Franchise Can Be The Next Arcane If Given the Chance



Arcane may have only lasted two seasons, but it proved to be one of the most well-received video game adaptations yet. The series became a major success on Netflix, bringing together both hardcore League of Legends fans and non-gamers alike. Although the short lifespan of Arcane is bittersweet, the series will hopefully serve as a blueprint for future animated game adaptations.

Now that Arcane has come to an end, it will be interesting to see which games, if any, get a similar animated treatment. There are plenty of franchises that could bring forth the same character-driven intrigue as Arcane, but there is one series in particular that may be a shoo-in for the same approach. Mortal Kombat has boasted plenty of adaptations, but getting the Arcane treatment may be just what the former needs in order to finally get a worthy spin-off series.

Mortal Kombat 2 Alternate Skins

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A Treasure Trove of Characters and Lore

The Mortal Kombat roster is filled to the brim with great characters. From Liu Kang and Johnny Cage to Mileena and Scorpion, some of gaming’s most iconic characters are the product of Mortal Kombat. Even better, there is a deep well of lore for writers to pull from if a fresh animated Mortal Kombat series ever comes to fruition. The intertwining stories of these characters present the perfect stage for drama and twists, but unfortunately, Mortal Kombat has yet to have a non-game adaptation that pulls this off well.

Arcane was nominated for Best Adaptation at the 2024 Game Awards.

Mortal Kombat’s Live-Action and Animated Spin-Offs Have Struggled

  • Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins – 1995 (animated)
  • Mortal Kombat – 1995 (live-action)
  • Mortal Kombat: Annihilation – 1997 (live-action)
  • Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge – 2020 (animated)
  • Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms – 2021 (animated)
  • Mortal Kombat – 2021 (live-action)
  • Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind – 2022 (animated)
  • Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match – 2023 (animated)
  • Mortal Kombat 2 – 2025 (live-action)
  • Mortal Kombat Legends: Fall of Edenia – TBA (animated)

This is a significant number of adaptations, but unfortunately, they have mostly either faced mixed or negative reviews. While some of the animated films have received better feedback than their live-action counterparts, a streaming series may be a better path for Mortal Kombat to take.

With a series like Arcane, it’s easier to dive deeper into character dynamics and their backstories, while movies only allow for a short amount of time. For a series as character-focused as Mortal Kombat, multi-episode seasons could finally give the fighting franchise the gripping adaptation it deserves. Even more important, though, a Mortal Kombat spin-off is in need of the right team behind it.

Mortal Kombat 2, the next live-action film, is scheduled to release on October 24, 2025.

The Team Behind Arcane Was the Secret Ingredient Mortal Kombat Needs

Series creators Christian Linke and Alex Yee worked alongside French animation studio Fortiche in order to bring Arcane to life. While a hypothetical Mortal Kombat series may not be able to secure the same team, since the franchise is under Warner Bros. ownership and not affiliated with Netflix, producers and animators with a similar vision could potentially make an adaptation that is just as special.

With rumors suggesting that Mortal Kombat 1 may be nearing its end sooner than expected, it’s unclear what the franchise’s next move might be. The next movie is slated for the latter half of the year, but beyond that, it’s a mystery. Mortal Kombat has a lot of potential to put forth an emotionally driven series or film, but it has struggled to hit the notes that Arcane excelled at. Mortal Kombat may never get a similar animated series, but it has nearly all the ingredients needed to be a worthy Arcane follow-up.

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