The Internet Reacts to Mortal Kombat 2's Reveal of Karl Urban's Johnny Cage

It’s true: Mortal Kombat 2, the movie, is coming this fall. After the 2021 reboot Mortal Kombat, fans are intelligibly funny astir however this sequel movie is going to footwear its mode into theaters — and, ultimately, if it volition beryllium immoderate good. Fans are already analyzing the film, betwixt its fund and instrumentality potential, casting (Johnny Cage, Shao Khan, and Kitana got their archetypal looks this week), imaginable merchandise day swaps, and more. So what does the net deliberation astir the Mortal Kombat sequel truthful far? Let’s dive into each the predictions and opinions. Round 1, fight!

Fans person been debating the franchise’s caller main character, arsenic established successful the 2021 reboot. Cole Young, played by Lewis Tan, is thing of a subordinate insert character, arsenic helium doesn’t cognize thing astir wherefore he’s being hunted down and frankincense is an fantabulous conveyance for reboot exposition — but it seems a batch of folks would alternatively spot the absorption connected a quality who was already portion of the franchise.

“I truly enjoyed the remake but for the caller quality they created for nary reason. Hopefully helium takes a backseat successful this one,” 1 instrumentality wrote, portion different replied with portion of their remark obscured for spoilers (so instrumentality heed!), “He isn't the main quality anymore, Johnny is. [OK] I'm not definite if it's Johnny but a batch of leaks person said helium isn't the MC anymore.”

Several fans look to person it retired for Cole, and are decidedly blessed that idiosyncratic other volition beryllium taking halfway stage. “Johnny is the main quality this clip 100%. Urban got apical billing connected the poster they released and he’s prominently featured successful the archetypal promo images,” 1 Redditor wrote of Karl Urban
's Johnny Cage.

However, immoderate find Urban’s casting a spot baffling, peculiarly surrounding his age. “Who the hellhole made this reasoning Karl Urban is the cleanable feline for Johnny Cage?” 1 instrumentality wrote, portion different remarked: “I similar Karl Urban but astatine 49 helium is miscast and doesn't person the outlandish optimistic charisma that Cage has successful the lore.” A 3rd idiosyncratic said: “I'll ne'er recognize wherefore they thought casting a 50 twelvemonth aged to beryllium Johnny Cage was a bully idea.”

Others suggested the likes of Glen Powell, Chris Evans, Austin Butler, Jack Quaid, oregon The Miz for the legendary character. But immoderate fans came to Urban’s defense. “Have you seen the movie yet? People said the aforesaid happening astir Ledger being The Joker,” a Redditor clapped back. “While I’m not suggesting this movie oregon show volition beryllium anyplace connected that level, I deliberation it's unfair to suggest Urban can't propulsion it off. The dude has been truly bully successful a ton of precise antithetic roles.” Another instrumentality hilariously added: “Primitive monkey encephalon triggers ‘Karl Urban successful movie, instrumentality my money.’”

Meanwhile, fans person been debating the wide fund of the sequel and, successful turn, however overmuch wealth it whitethorn bring successful astatine the container office. One instrumentality suggested connected a r/BoxOffice thread that the movie would bring successful astir $250 million. “If the fund stays reasonable, that wouldn’t beryllium excessively bad,” different instrumentality replied. Another instrumentality went successful adjacent higher connected the film’s return. “Under $300 million,” the idiosyncratic wrote. “But it’ll bash immense connected streaming. It doesn’t request nary much than a 5-6 week agelong theatre run.”

In effect to different Redditor who noted it would instrumentality treble the archetypal film’s fund ($55 million) to marque this one, 1 idiosyncratic said: “This astir apt made consciousness erstwhile the fund was little than the archetypal but past onslaught delays blew it up.” Filming for Mortal Kombat 2 was halted successful July 2023 owed to the SAG-AFTRA strikes, but resumed a fewer months aboriginal successful November 2023 and was finished by January 2024.

Some folks are much convinced that this movie isn’t going to bash excessively well. “Feel similar this mightiness weaponry honestly. First 1 wasn’t adjacent good received and I uncertainty radical volition beryllium rushing retired to spot this sequel. Also weird precocious October merchandise date,” different instrumentality said, noting it mightiness marque much consciousness to determination things astir successful the merchandise calendar for maximum potential. “If I was WB I would propulsion Zach Cregger’s Weapons up to precocious October and propulsion this to January oregon February 2026.” Others consciousness prima Karl Urban’s enactment connected The Boys volition assistance propulsion it forward. “I deliberation you’re underestimating however large The Boys is, it has 55 cardinal planetary viewers. I deliberation the movie volition bash coagulated adjacent extracurricular the U.S.” 1 idiosyncratic said successful response.

Other fans are conscionable plain excited for the film. “First 1 was bully amusive and I loved these silly enactment movies increasing up,” 1 Redditor wrote. “Looking guardant to this.” Another idiosyncratic added: “F—k maine but I’m excited for it. I liked the archetypal one. It was corny but it’s Mortal Kombat which isn’t precocious art.” A 3rd instrumentality wrote: “This sub truly needs to halt underestimating Video Game Movies.”

A rumor that the movie whitethorn besides determination to the August day presently reserved for Paul Thomas Anderson’s upcoming movie One Battle After Another is besides being discussed. “That would marque much sense,” 1 idiosyncratic noted. “The PTA movie would get a Venice premiere and awards season, portion Mortal Kombat gets precocious summer.” Another instrumentality added that “MK screams August, IMO.”

It seems arsenic though, nary substance what they think, fans are fired up astir Mortal Kombat 2. We person a just fewer months to hold and spot what the movie has successful store, but 1 happening is for sure: we’ll support talking astir it until then. K.O.

What bash you deliberation astir Mortal Kombat 2? Let america cognize successful the comments!

Lex Briscuso is simply a movie and tv professional and a freelance amusement writer for IGN. You tin travel her connected Twitter astatine @nikonamerica.