Mortal Kombat II has dropped its final trailer ahead of its upcoming release, and there’s a huge discussion going on when it comes to who is and isn’t in the promotional footage. While Karl Urban’s debut as Johnny Cage is rightfully being given the lion’s share of the spotlight, the protagonist from the previous movie is functionally absent from the trailer, appearing for a handful of seconds, at best. It may feel like an overcorrection brought about by fan response to the 2021 live-action reboot, and perhaps it is, but it’s also one of the best decisions the franchise could have made.
Lewis Tan’s Cole Young was introduced to Mortal Kombat in 2021. Most of the movie’s cast of characters consisted of heroes and villains taken from the iconic video game series, but Cole was a completely original character created for the movie. This caused something of a controversy among fans who wanted to see a pre-existing franchise legend take center stage. Tan will reprise his role in Mortal Kombat II, but his massively reduced presence in the trailer suggests he’ll have far less to do. Without insulting Tan, who I think was great in the first movie, moving on from him as the main character is actually great for the franchise’s future.
‘Mortal Kombat III’ Will Probably Move on From Johnny Cage (Like the Upcoming Movie Is Doing With Cole)
Just as 2021’s Mortal Kombat had Cole’s story as its primary focus, the upcoming sequel will revolve primarily around Johnny Cage’s introduction to the story. As mentioned, using an original character as the first movie’s protagonist wasn’t met with all that much joy by pre-existing fans, but Johnny Cage is a franchise icon. So, on the surface, it looks like the new movies are quietly adjusting course to permanently replace Cole with Urban’s character as a long-term solution. I don’t think that’s the case, though. What’s more likely is that Mortal Kombat II will showcase Johnny Cage before moving on to focus on another protagonist in a later sequel.
It should be noted at this point that Mortal Kombat III is far from confirmed. Still, considering the first movie’s moderate financial success in a period that was still suffering the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it stands to reason that the sequel will do even better and lead to another movie being greenlit. Assuming that happens, then would it really make sense for Mortal Kombat III to stick with Johnny Cage as its main character? Nope, not really. The franchise is filled with brilliant characters who all deserve their moment in the sun. Just as Cole is taking a backseat to Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat II, Urban’s character will probably take a small step back in a potential third movie to make way for another protagonist to be put on display. That pattern of rotating primary protagonists can (and should) continue for several sequels without repeats.
Why Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage Is Perfect To Lead ‘Mortal Kombat II’
Even if he is just the main character for one movie, the timing of Urban’s casting as one of the franchise’s most beloved characters is nothing short of immaculate. It’s no secret that Mortal Kombat II needed a more recognizable antagonist after Cole failed to ignite much interest, and Johnny Cage is a great replacement. Although Urban’s casting has been criticized by fans who are ultra-familiar with the source material, I think the trailers have proven him to be a great fit for the character.
Furthermore, with Urban’s already big name having become even bigger thanks to the success of his role as Billy Butcher in The Boys, casting him as Johnny Cage is a brilliant way to attract new fans to the martial arts franchise. Even those who never saw the 2021 movie will be tempted to see the 2026 follow-up because of Urban’s presence. The added bonus of that is that there’s only one movie to catch up on if potential fans want to be up to speed by the time of Mortal Kombat II‘s premiere on May 8, 2026.
- Release Date
-
May 15, 2026
- Runtime
-
116 Minutes
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
