When the Mortal Kombat movie reboot released in 2021, one of the biggest complaints was the lack of Johnny Cage. The character completely stole the spotlight in the original 1995 film, where he was played by Linden Ashby. Thankfully, Mortal Kombat 2 will rectify this egregious oversight with Cage set to play a key role. This time around, Johnny Cage will be portrayed by actor Karl Urban (The Boys). While we still don’t have a trailer for Mortal Kombat 2, Warner Bros. has now offered a full look at Urban as Cage in a very unique way: through a fake movie poster!
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In the series lore, Johnny Cage is an actor that gets roped into the Mortal Kombat tournament. Clearly that part of Johnny’s character will be kept intact, as the poster is hyping a fictional movie called “Uncaged Fury.” The poster features a very faithful take on Johnny, complete with sunglasses and a leather jacket. It really sells the idea of Johnny being an actor turned Kombatant, and there’s even a reference to another fictional movie called “Rebel Without a Cage.”
While Johnny Cage did not appear in the previous Mortal Kombat film, his appearance in the sequel was pretty much guaranteed. The reboot ended with Cole Young (Lewis Tan) setting out to recruit a new fighter to join Raiden’s forces, and we see a flier with the name “Johnny Cage” on it. Unfortunately for viewers, Cage himself was not shown, as Warner Bros. had yet to cast an actor in the role. That led to a lot of speculation about who would end up being cast, with several names being circulated. Professional wrestler The Miz openly campaigned for the role, and there was also speculation that Ryan Reynolds could play the character. However, Urban’s role in the film was confirmed in 2023.
Urban will have big shoes to fill, as Ashby’s take on Johnny Cage has long been a favorite among Mortal Kombat fans. The 1995 Mortal Kombat movie has a number of elements that don’t hold up 30 years later, but Ashby’s performance remains one of the biggest highlights. This poster certainly sets the right tone, and it will be interesting to see the similarities and differences between Urban’s take on the character and Ashby’s.
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Mortal Kombat 2 currently has a release date of October 24th, so it’s hard to say how soon we can expect to see the first trailer, or even a teaser. Warner Bros. could wait until we start to get a little closer, but it’s clear the hype cycle is starting to rev up. In addition to the Johnny Cage poster, the social channels for the Mortal Kombat movie have all been updated with the sleek new logo for the film.
Are you planning to check out Mortal Kombat 2 when it releases in theaters? What do you think of this first look at Johnny Cage? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
