A new trailer and poster for Mortal Kombat II have hit, and the spotlight is put squarely on Johnny Cage as the washed-up action movie star finds himself tasked with saving the day by Lord Raiden.
It's immediately clear that Johnny is this franchise's new lead, as Lewis Tan's Cole Young becomes almost an afterthought as we're treated to a series of debuts and returns from iconic Mortal Kombat characters. Cole was pretty divisive, so his being sidelined isn't hugely surprising.
Beyond that, the Fatalities come thick and fast, and visually, this sequel looks far more in line with the games. For fans of the first instalment, it promises to be a must-watch, and it does appear as if many of the criticisms levelled at that movie have been addressed (good news for those less keen on the 2021 video game adaptation).
Mortal Kombat III was officially announced at New York Comic Con last October, with Jeremy Slater returning to pen the screenplay after writing and executive producing the second instalment. Warner Bros. is said to be "high" on this upcoming second chapter, hence why it was moved to a prime spot this summer.
"I asked for a heavy-action content movie, and for my sins, they gave me one," Urban previously said. "It was the most challenging role that I've ever undertaken in my career. It's the martial arts."
"The form and the style of martial arts is so specific, and the choreography, at times, is so definitive in its movement, and there's a precision of execution for it to look good. It was a huge challenge."
Addressing the battle between Johnny and Kitana that's teased in this latest trailer, the actor added, "He's so rusty. He's neglected his martial arts, he has no connectivity with what he's supposed to be doing, and he's so sloppy." It seems regaining his past glory will also be a big part of the character's story in Mortal Kombat II.
In Mortal Kombat II, Karl Urban stars as Johnny Cage, alongside Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Tati Gabrielle, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman, with Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden, Joe Taslim as Bi-Han, and Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi and Scorpion.
Director Simon McQuoid returns to helm the follow-up to his explosive 2021 cinematic adventure, from a screenplay by Jeremy Slater, based on the video game created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. The film is produced by Todd Garner, James Wan, Toby Emmerich, E. Bennett Walsh and McQuoid, and executive produced by Michael Clear, Judson Scott, Slater, and Lawrence Kasanoff.
Joining McQuoid behind the camera are director of photography Stephen F. Windon, production designer Yohei Taneda, editor Stuart Levy and costume designer Cappi Ireland, with casting by Rich Delia and music by Benjamin Wallfisch.
Mortal Kombat II will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, and is only in theaters and IMAX on May 15, 2026.