Mortal Kombat Legends' Joel McHale Says Karl Urban Is "Perfect" for Johnny Cage

When Warner Bros. Animation first announced that Joel McHale would be playing Johnny Cage in a series of animated Mortal Kombat movies, plenty of fans thought it was the perfect fit. Now McHale, who has played the part in three movies since 2020, says that's how he feels about Karl Urban, the Dredd and The Boys star who was recently tapped to play the role in live action. Noting that he is a fan of The Boys, McHale praised Urban's performance in the show, and said that bringing him in as Cage is "perfect casting."

Assuming the Mortal Kombat Legends movies continue, McHale isn't likely to lose his role anytime soon. Urban's take will first appear in Mortal Kombat II, the sequel to Warner's overperforming 2020 hit, joining a cast that includes Lewis Tan, Mehcad Brooks, and Tati Gabrielle.

"He's one of the better actors around," McHale told ComicBook.com's Chris Killian. "My sons and I watch The Boys religiously, so yeah, he's perfect. I think he was nominated for an Emmy for The Boys, pretty sure. It's perfect casting."

You can see the full video above.

Here's the official synopsis for Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match:

Neon lights... Suits with shoulder pads... Jumping from explosions in slow motion... In 1980s Hollywood, action star Johnny Cage (Joel McHale) is looking to become an A-list actor. But when his costar, Jennifer (Jennifer Grey), goes missing from set, Johnny finds himself thrust into a world filled with shadows, danger and deceit. As he embarks on a bloody journey, Johnny quickly discovers the City of Angels has more than a few devils in its midst. He faces off against a sinister secret society plotting a nefarious scheme, but the brutal fight against the bloodthirsty warriors of the Netherrealm is just beginning. Can Johnny, alongside other Mortal Kombat legends, save humanity...and, more importantly, his career?

The film stars Joel McHale (Animal Control, Community) as Johnny Cage and Jennifer Grey (Dirty Dancing, Red Oaks) as Herself. Also starring in the movie is Gilbert Gottfried (Aladdin, Royal Crackers) as David Doubldy, Dusan Brown (Ma Rainey's Black Bottom) as Chuck Golden, Grey DeLisle (Teen Titans Go!) as Kia, Robin Atkin Downes (Luck, DC Showcase: Constantine – The House of Mystery) as Shinnok, Zehra Fazal (Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe) as Jataaka, Gilbert Gottfried (Aladdin, Royal Crackers) as David Doubldy, Kelly Hu (Arrow, X2: X-Men United) as Ashrah, Matt Yang King (Elemental) as Concierge, Phil LaMarr (Futurama) as Brian Van Jones, Matthew Mercer (Resident Evil: Death Island) as Director/Bully, Dave B. Mitchell (Call of Duty franchise) as Raiden and Armen Taylor (Justice Society: World War II) as Master Boyd.

Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match is directed by Ethan Spaulding (Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms) from a script by Jeremy Adams (Justice League: Warworld), who also penned the screenplays for the series' first three films, and supervising producer is Rick Morales (Mortal Kombat Legends franchise, Bablyon 5: The Return Home). All four films are based on the Mortal Kombat videogame franchise created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. Sam Register and NetherRealm Studios' Ed Boon are executive producers.

Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match will be available on October 17 to purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more. 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray will be available to purchase online and in-store at major retailers. Pre-order your copy starting July 22, 2023.