Mortal Kombat 2 Star Says Writer Consults Franchise Co-Creator On Which "Fatalities And Stages" To Keep

6 days ago 16

Cole Young in Mortal Kombat 2 with his Arcana armor

Published May 2, 2026, 11:05 PM EDT

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The upcoming sequel, Mortal Kombat 2, will feature some Easter eggs and content for video game fans.

Mortal Kombat 2 is the sequel to 2021’s Mortal Kombat. The upcoming movie will be the fourth installment in the film series inspired by the popular video game. Several familiar faces from the previous film are returning, including Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, and Lewis Tan. Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano, Joe Taslim, and Hiroyuki Sanada are also reprising their roles. Damon Herriman will be in the sequel. However, he will play a different character this time.

According to GamesRadar+, Mortal Kombat 2 star Lin, who portrays Liu Kang, revealed during a press conference that the creative team went out of their way to stay true to the franchise. The writer of the sequel, Jeremy Slater, approached one of the franchise's co-creators, Ed Boon, to ensure the film captures what players love most about the games.

Lin revealed that Slater got advice from Boon throughout the writing process. Whenever he was unsure if a specific element or scene should make it to the final cut of Mortal Kombat 2, he would consult him. The co-creator offered insight about gamers' favorite aspects of the game, especially when it came to the franchise’s signature moves and battlegrounds.

The actor added that Slater and Boon collaborating helped shape the sequel and that it would honor the spirit of the games more fully than the first Mortal Kombat film. Once the writer incorporated Boon's ideas into the script, director Simon McQuoid and the stunt team adapted those moments for the big screen. The creative team believe that the film will satisfy both casual audiences and devoted players.

Slater explained that the reason why he took such a personal approach was that he loved the franchise. He said that he wanted to write a film that reflects the excitement he felt when he played the Mortal Kombat games as a teenager. His goal was to write a "love letter" to the characters of the franchise that have evolved or been created within the past three decades by Boon and NetherRealm Studios.

Mortal Kombat is a fighting video game that first launched in 1992. It was initially just an arcade game. However, its surge in popularity allowed it to expand. Aside from games and films, Mortal Kombat has also entered the world of comic books, cards, TV, and a live-action tour. Now, the franchise is one of the most successful fighting games and among the top-earning franchises worldwide.

Mortal Kombat 2 will release in theaters on May 8, 2026.