5 Things We Want To See In The Mortal Kombat Movie Reboot

Finish it! The movie, that is. Mortal Kombat fans have been waiting long enough to see the iconic video game series reboot with all the tender love & care it deserves. In 1995, Paul W.S. Anderson helmed a live-action of Mortal Kombat which thrilled fans, but its sequel failed to live up to expectations. Just today, we learned New Line Cinema is in talks to bring director Simon McQuoid onto their remake of Mortal Kombat.

So, of course, fans want to have some input on what all the new film will cover. Now that a director is being courted for the film, fans are more eager than ever to see heroes such as Liu Kang and others hit the big screen.

Over at ComicBook.com, there are several things we want the new Mortal Kombat.

Make It Rated R

When Mortal Kombat debuted in 1992, the game was put under intense scrutiny for its graphic violence and gore. Countries like Australia straight out banned the game while others like the US slapped it with a mature rating, and the reboot should be no different. The previous Mortal Kombat films have been PG-13, and it is time for that trend to die.

Mortal Kombat is a dark, dystopian tale filled with aggression and all-out warfare. If you want to do justice to the franchise, you have to allow Mortal Kombat the room to rip some spines and shed some blood. The needed violence alone of Mortal Kombat would necessitate an R-rating, and that doesn’t even account for the fighters and their skimpy outfits.

Give Fans Real, Gritty Fight Sequences

The Mortal Kombat remake has to have amazing action sequences. This isn’t amateur hour; It’s fight night, and fans expect a show. The first Mortal Kombat film did the best they could with stunting on a budget, but New Line will need to pony up for complex action sequences this time around.

Not only that, but stunt choreographers will need to come up with canon-compliant ways to recreate some of Mortal Kombat’s most famous fatalities. The franchise is know for its gruesome finishing moves, and fans will expect to both cheer and cringe when Liu Kang unleashes his Hot Head move.

Scorpion vs Sub-Zero

The original Mortal Kombat films missed a big opportunity when they prevented Scorpion and Sub-Zero from beating the snot out of one another. In Mortal Kombat lore, the two colorful ninjas are steadfast rivals and never fail to strike out at one another. The match-up is a favorite one for fans, so the reboot better include one epic showdown between Scorpion and Sub-Zero.

Refresh The Origin Story

Let’s face it; Mortal Kombat can be complicated for newcomers. The franchise borrows intense martial arts and fantasy elements which can leave unfamiliar moviegoers at a loss. It might be necessary for the reboot to retell Mortal Kombat’s origin to catch fans up, but that doesn’t mean the film must take cues from its predecessors.

Yes, the film needs to be dark and gritty. Sure, Mortal Kombat should educate audiences about the story’s tournaments and the various realms of Earth. However, New Line should take creative license when possible to freshen up the storyline while keeping within the realms of canon.

Cameos, Kung Lao, and Kitana

Fans have mixed opinions about the previous Mortal Kombat movies, but one thought seems to be shared by most: keep character cameos to a minimum. The franchise has a long list of beloved characters who fans want to see hit the big screen. The first Mortal Kombat game features ten main characters who become involved with the deadly tournament, but New Line needs to be smart with how much screentime they are given.

With that said, the studio should play around with their presentation. For instance, fans want to see Kung Lao featured in the reboot since his character’s time was cut short with the first franchise. And, of course, fans will want to see hints of Kitana given her close relationship with the protagonist Liu Kang.