Mortal Kombat 2 is going to hit theaters next summer, but there is already a lot of debate being had about the sequel film. The first Mortal Kombat movie (2021) was stepping over hallowed ground: Paul W.S. Anderson’s 1995 Mortal Kombat movie remains as iconic and beloved as the actual video game series. Despite being released during Warner Bros.’ post-pandemic streaming push on HBO Max, the Mortal Kombat reboot struck a chord with enough fans and still made over $84 million at the box office, on a budget of $55 million. So the sequel was all but guaranteed to be greenlit.
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So far, (at the time of writing this), Mortal Kombat II has seen its official trailer and a violent red band trailer both released, and the internet has reacted. If you can believe it, the reactions have not been universally favorable; some fans have legitimate worries that the sequel film will falter, but honestly, everyone should probably relax: it’s too early to panic about how Mortal Kombat II will land in theaters.
Mortal Kombat II Has Lots of Time To Improve, Visually
Just a few weeks ago (at the time of writing this), it was announced that Mortal Kombat II has been delayed until late May 2026. It was originally set to be released in late October of this year, which means the delay is a significant one, indeed. However, one of the most common criticisms of the footage is that the visual effects aren’t up to par, whether it’s the CGI effects for the enhanced powers of the combatants, or some of the artificial backgrounds or sound stage sets where the fights will take place.
By now, it should surprise no fan of blockbuster franchise movies that getting the film “in the can” (so to speak) comes down to the wire. A director and his team could literally be rendering scenes or tweaking edits, down to the last minutes, before the film has to be delivered to theaters for the first showings. And yet it still seems to be necessary to remind those spewing vitriol over social media platforms that what you see (in first trailers) isn’t necessarily what you get (in finished films).
Visual effect supervisor Chris Godfrey has a pretty extensive filmography under him, which includes work on Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Baz Luhrmann’s Oscar-winning films Moulin Rouge! and The Great Gatsby, Mel Gibson’s Oscar-winning film Hacksaw Ridge, and (of course) the first Mortal Kombat reboot film. Combined with multiple visual effects houses working on the film, there’s little reason to doubt that Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, Atomic Monster and the rest of the production imprints involved will push this sequel to look as good as a summer blockbuster film should look – why else lift it out of the much safer October slot for the (May)hem of summer?
Mortal Kombat II Can Be What the 1995 Film Was (Again)
The other big criticism from those opposed to this sequel film is that the story looks like a disappointment. For the first time, the film will put washed-up-actor-turned-reluctant-warrior Johnny Cage at the center of the story, with geek culture icon Karl Urban (The Boys, Star Trek (2009), Thor: Ragnarok, Dredd, The Lord of the Rings) playing the lead role. But even with deep love from many fans, Urban’s Cage isn’t being overwhelmingly endorsed as a good pick.
Might we say: we very much disagree with that take, as it’s never smart to bet against Karl Urban. The Australian character actor has climbed past secondary or bit roles in big franchises to become an undeniable leading man in his own right, largely based on sheer charisma. The meta humor of Urban playing Cage, a “seasoned” actor looking for a new big break, is obvious, and adds a layer to this particular take on Mortal Kombat that the first film was severely lacking: comedy. Mortal Kombat (2021) was very dour, overly dramatic, and moved at such a clunky pace from fight-to-fight set pieces that there was little time for levity, let alone a steady pattern of joking or banter. Mortal Kombat II already looks like it will very much lean into comedy as its backbone, which is to be expected since screenwriter Jeremy Slater is the sole person writing the script. Titles like Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy and Death Note projects, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, and even Marvel’s Moon Knight all prove that Slater can balance humor, darkness, action, and deep character study, and make it all fit into a blockbuster frame (TV or movie-sized).
Say what you will about Paul W.S. Anderson: the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie was fun and thrilling, and believe it or not, it did it all within a PG-13 rating that allowed it to be fun for the entire family. Mortal Kombat II is sticking with the Hard-R rating, in all its bloody fatality glory; adult fans will be a much harder sell when it comes to action and visuals, and admittedly, it’s up to returning director Simon McQuoid to up his game in those areas. Following the example of the ’95 film a little closer and making sure there’s some lightness and comedy in the mix just adds another weapon to the sequel’s arsenal.
Don’t feel bad about being hopeful that Mortal Kombat II will be good – or at least fun. Fans have been burned before, sure, but there’s plenty of evidence that the makers of the films – and the makers of the game – have come together to put forth their best effort yet.
Mortal Kombat II will be released in theaters on May 15, 2026. Want to stay up to date on the biggest geek entertainment news? Add us as a preferred source in Google – HERE, and join our community over on the ComicBook Forum!
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image courtesy of 20th Century Studios
