‘Mortal Kombat 2’ unveils first look at Kitana, Johnny Cage
Adeline Rudolph as Kitana (left) and Karl Urban as Johnny Cage. Image: Warner Bros. Pictures via Instagram/@mortalkombat
Four years after the release of the first film, “Mortal Kombat 2” has dropped its first look at the familiar faces and fresh additions who will be the center of the story’s bloodbath.
On Monday, March 17, Warner Bros. Pictures released the first official photos of lead star Karl Urban as Johnny Cage and fan favorite Adeline Rudolph as Kitana.
Urban is set to mark his first appearance in the franchise as Johnny Cage, a long standing playable character in the video game series where the films are adapted from.
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In the new photos that were released, the “The Lord of the Rings” actor was captured leading the pack as his pose suggests he will be about to engage in a combat.
“You finally get to see Johnny Cage,” Ed Boon, Mortal Kombat co-creator told the Entertainment Weekly. “His integration into the Mortal Kombat story and universe is a big part of what this movie explores. He’s a washed-up Hollywood guy thrown into this magical, ultra-violent thing. Karl, his depiction of Johnny Cage is different from our games in some ways. He’s adding his own flare to it, but I think it’ll feel fresh. There’s like a novelty factor there.”
Rudolph, on the other hand, whose character Kitana will appear in the sequel for the first time charmed long-term fans with her appearance. She is dressed in her metallic armor while holding two large hand fans with sharpened blades.
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The images also teased the return of Hiroyuki Sanada, fresh from his award-winning performance in the historical drama series “Shōgun,” and who is set to reprise his role as Hanzo Hasashi aka Scorpion in the second installment of “Mortal Kombat.”
Sanada was photographed in his armored, hooded costume with a mask as he holds a sword in each hand, hinting that he is in the middle of a match.
Aside from the aforementioned, the second installment will also see the return of Mehcad Brooks as Jax and Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, alongside newcomers Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Tati Gabrielle as Jade, and Damon Herriman as Quan Chi, among others.
Prior to the 2021 film reboot, the franchise has received two other film adaptations in the 90s. The 1995 “Mortal Kombat” directed by Paul W.S. Anderson grossed $122 million worldwide on a budget of around $18 million, making it a box office success.
Meanwhile, “Mortal Kombat: Annihilation” released in 1997 is often considered one of the worst video game adaptations. It grossed $51 million worldwide on a budget of about $30 million, which was significantly lower than the first film’s performance.
However, the most recent reboot of the series, “Mortal Kombat” released in 2021, performed well at the box office despite the COVID-19 pandemic and rise of digital streaming platforms. It grossed $83 million worldwide against a budget of $55 million.
“Mortal Kombat 2” is set to hit the cinemas on Oct. 24.
