Ed Boon, the co-creator of the Mortal Kombat series, shared insights with Entertainment Weekly about Johnny Cage\\'s integration into the movie\\'s narrative. \\\"His integration into the Mortal Kombat story and universe is a big part of what this movie explores,\\\" Boon stated. He described Cage as a \\\"washed-up Hollywood guy thrown into this magical, ultra-violent thing.\\\" Boon praised Urban\\'s unique take on the character, adding, \\\"Karl, his depiction of Johnny Cage is different than 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 in there.\\\"

Boon also teased a \\\"ridiculously hilarious\\\" introduction for Johnny Cage. Director Simon McQuoid emphasized the importance of depth in Urban\\'s portrayal, saying, \\\"We wanted a character that wasn\\'t just completely silly, comic book… It\\'s a character that could instantly go there and become too light and throwaway if we were to lean too much into the kind of cheese. The casting of Karl Urban for that role allowed that character to have more depth.\\\"

Entertainment Weekly also confirmed that movie-accurate skins for Urban\\'s Johnny Cage, Rudolph\\'s Kitana, and Ford\\'s Shao Kahn will be available in the video game \\\"Mortal Kombat 1\\\" later this year, bridging the gap between the movie and the gaming experience.

In addition to the new characters, Damon Herriman (known for \\\"Better Man\\\") will play Quan Chi, while Josh Lawson and Max Huang make a surprising return as Kano and Kung Lao, respectively, despite their characters\\' demise in the first film. Boon explained this by referencing the game\\'s lore, which often brings characters back through various supernatural means. \\\"So we deal with spirits and the NetherRealm and things like that,\\\" he said. \\\"There are ways to bring dead characters back.\\\"

Completing the cast, Tati Gabrielle (from \\\"The Last of Us Season 2\\\") will portray Jade, and Ana Thu Nguyen (from \\\"NCIS: Sydney\\\") will play Queen Sindel. \\\"Mortal Kombat 2\\\" is slated to hit theaters on October 24, 2025, promising fans another thrilling chapter in the legendary franchise.

Home News "Mortal Kombat 2 Movie: First Look at Johnny Cage, Shao Khan, Kitana"

"Mortal Kombat 2 Movie: First Look at Johnny Cage, Shao Khan, Kitana"

Author : Henry Mar 29,2025

Fans of the iconic fighting game series have been eagerly awaiting more details on the upcoming "Mortal Kombat 2" movie, and now Entertainment Weekly has provided an exciting first look at several new characters set to appear in the sequel. The images showcase Karl Urban as the charismatic Johnny Cage, Martyn Ford as the fearsome Shao Kahn, and Adeline Rudolph as the elegant Kitana, alongside the returning Hiroyuki Sanada reprising his role as Scorpion.

Karl Urban, known for his role as Billy Butcher in "The Boys," steps into the shoes of Mortal Kombat's fan-favorite, the egocentric Hollywood star Johnny Cage. A previously released in-universe poster had already teased fans with Urban's portrayal, and the new image reveals him in a classic martial arts pose, complete with Cage's signature hair and sunglasses. The background features returning cast members Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Mehcad Brooks as Jax, and Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade.

First looks at Johnny Cage, Shao Khan, Kitana and Scorpion in Mortal Kombat 2 film:

Karl Urban ➡️ Johnny Cage
Martyn Ford ➡️ Shao Kahn
Adeline Rudolph ➡️ Kitana
Hiroyuki Sanada reprises as Scorpion

Via: https://t.co/1CHXzLhFGK #MortalKombat2 pic.twitter.com/7ifeMHzhC6
— Shinobi602 (@shinobi602) March 17, 2025

Ed Boon, the co-creator of the Mortal Kombat series, shared insights with Entertainment Weekly about Johnny Cage's integration into the movie's narrative. "His integration into the Mortal Kombat story and universe is a big part of what this movie explores," Boon stated. He described Cage as a "washed-up Hollywood guy thrown into this magical, ultra-violent thing." Boon praised Urban's unique take on the character, adding, "Karl, his depiction of Johnny Cage is different than 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 in there."

Boon also teased a "ridiculously hilarious" introduction for Johnny Cage. Director Simon McQuoid emphasized the importance of depth in Urban's portrayal, saying, "We wanted a character that wasn't just completely silly, comic book… It's a character that could instantly go there and become too light and throwaway if we were to lean too much into the kind of cheese. The casting of Karl Urban for that role allowed that character to have more depth."

Entertainment Weekly also confirmed that movie-accurate skins for Urban's Johnny Cage, Rudolph's Kitana, and Ford's Shao Kahn will be available in the video game "Mortal Kombat 1" later this year, bridging the gap between the movie and the gaming experience.

In addition to the new characters, Damon Herriman (known for "Better Man") will play Quan Chi, while Josh Lawson and Max Huang make a surprising return as Kano and Kung Lao, respectively, despite their characters' demise in the first film. Boon explained this by referencing the game's lore, which often brings characters back through various supernatural means. "So we deal with spirits and the NetherRealm and things like that," he said. "There are ways to bring dead characters back."

Completing the cast, Tati Gabrielle (from "The Last of Us Season 2") will portray Jade, and Ana Thu Nguyen (from "NCIS: Sydney") will play Queen Sindel. "Mortal Kombat 2" is slated to hit theaters on October 24, 2025, promising fans another thrilling chapter in the legendary franchise.