Johnny Cage, Shao Khan, Kitana Revealed in Mortal Kombat 2 Film

Fans of the iconic fighting game series are in for a treat as Mortal Kombat 2 has unveiled a first look at several new characters set to grace the screen in the upcoming movie sequel. Entertainment Weekly has shared captivating images of Karl Urban as the flamboyant Johnny Cage, Martyn Ford as the formidable Shao Kahn, and Adeline Rudolph as the elegant Kitana, alongside the return of Hiroyuki Sanada reprising his role as Scorpion.

The anticipation around Karl Urban's portrayal of Johnny Cage, known for his role as Billy Butcher in The Boys, has been high since his image appeared on an in-universe poster for a Cage movie. The newly released image showcases a fresh-faced Urban sporting Cage's signature hairstyle and sunglasses, striking a classic martial arts pose. In the background, we catch glimpses of Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Mehcad Brooks as Jax, and Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, adding to the excitement.

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

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Entertainment Weekly also featured a quote from Ed Boon, the co-creator of the Mortal Kombat series, discussing Johnny Cage's role in the sequel. "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," and praised Karl Urban for bringing a fresh take to the character. "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 teased a "ridiculously hilarious" introduction for Johnny Cage, while director Simon McQuoid emphasized the balance they aimed to strike with the character. "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."

In addition to the new characters, Entertainment Weekly confirmed that movie-accurate skins for Urban's Johnny Cage, Rudolph's Kitana, and Ford's Shao Kahn will be available in Mortal Kombat 1 later this year, much to the delight of gamers.

The sequel also introduces Damon Herriman as Quan Chi, with Josh Lawson and Max Huang making a surprising return as Kano and Kung Lao, despite their demise in the first film. Ed Boon explained how the lore of the Mortal Kombat games allows for such returns: "So we deal with spirits and the NetherRealm and things like that," he said. "There are ways to bring dead characters back."

Rounding out the cast are Tati Gabrielle as Jade and Ana Thu Nguyen as Queen Sindel. Mortal Kombat 2 is set to hit theaters on October 24, 2025, promising an exciting continuation of the saga.