Mortal Kombat Reboot Writer Recalls the Casting of Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero

The writer of the Mortal Kombat reboot movie, Greg Russo, this week celebrated the birthday of Joe Taslim (The Raid) by sharing a brief moment behind the actor's casting as Sub-Zero in the upcoming movie. While Russo credits director Simon McQuoid for Taslim's casting, he also noted that when he was pitched Taslim's inclusion, it was immediately clear that he should be involved.

"Happy Birthday [Joe Taslim,]" Russo shared over on Twitter. "But I can't take credit for that brilliant casting. Simon (our director) was all over it. I think when he pitched me his desire to cast Joe, I fanboy gushed something like 'This needs to happen! Please. Please. Please.'"

💯 & Happy Birthday @Joe_Taslim But I can't take credit for that brilliant casting. Simon (our director) was all over it. I think when he pitched me his desire to cast Joe, I fanboy gushed something like "This needs to happen! Please. Please. Please." #MortalKombat https://t.co/YWA4cOr5Gi

— Greg Russo (@WriterRusso) June 23, 2020

While it's still unclear exactly what sort of role Taslim plays in the reboot, late last year he responded to a fan stating that they "hope Bi-Han gets justice done," pointing to the fact that Sub-Zero's mythology is a lot more complex and interesting that previous movies explored. While Taslim didn't outright confirm anything, he did note at the time that he's "giving everything" and that the character is written "beautifully."

The Mortal Kombat reboot film is currently scheduled to release on January 15, 2021. It wrapped filming late last year. The cast includes Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Mehcad Brooks as Jax, Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion, Josh Lawson as Kano, Tadanobu Asano as Raiden, Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero, Chin Han as Shang Tsung, Sisi Stringer as Mileena, and Lewis Tan in an unnamed role, which some speculate to be Johnny Cage. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the film right here.

What do you think of what we've heard about the upcoming Mortal Kombat movie so far? Are you excited to see Taslim as Sub-Zero? Let us know in the comments, or hit me up directly on Twitter at @rollinbishop to talk all things gaming!