Karl Urban is Johnny Cage, the cocky, washed-up action star turned reluctant fighter in Mortal Kombat II, out October 24, 2025. Directed by Simon McQuoid, who helmed the 2021 reboot, this sequel gives the fans what they’ve been waiting for since the first film left them wanting more.
Urban’s Johnny Cage steals the show. Known for his gruff role as Billy Butcher in The Boys, Urban trades brooding for swagger, playing a sunglasses-sporting Hollywood has-been who’s as charming as he is annoying. The trailer showcases Cage’s flair, with him strutting into battles with a smirk, tossing one-liners and unleashing over-the-top martial arts moves straight out of a ‘90s action flick.
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Returning fighters like Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), Jax (Mehcad Brooks) and Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada) ground the story but the sequel adds a killer new roster of characters. Adeline Rudolph’s Kitana slices with deadly fans, while Tati Gabrielle’s Jade is her fierce bodyguard. Martyn Ford’s massive Shao Kahn and Ana Thu Nguyen’s Queen Sindel bring the Outworld royal menace and Damon Herriman’s Quan Chi is a dark Netherrealm demon. CJ Bloomfield’s Baraka has jagged teeth and bladed arms and looks ready to shred. The trailer teases revenants – undead versions of fallen fighters – and each character gets a moment from Kitana’s deadly elegance to Shao Kahn’s commanding presence. The tournament is bigger than the first film’s setup-heavy story.
Simon McQuoid addresses the major criticism of the 2021 film: the missing tournament. The original focused on newcomer Cole Young (Lewis Tan) and pre-tournament build-up, leaving some fans wanting the classic Mortal Kombat tournament. This time the trailer puts the tournament front and center with Earthrealm’s heroes battling Outworld’s warriors in a no-rules showdown. Expect game-true fatalities with gory glimpses of severed limbs and crushed skulls.
Shot in IMAX McQuoid amplifies the fights and the vivid, otherworldly settings. Producer Todd Garner says the sequel delivers what fans want: a true tournament with high stakes and plenty of carnage.The story continues from the first film with Cole Young, revealed as Scorpion’s descendant, heading to Hollywood to find Johnny Cage.
The trailer portrays Cage as a reluctant hero, an actor stuck in a mystical, ultra-violent world. Ed Boon, Mortal Kombat co-creator, said Cage’s role is humor and heart, a focus of the story. Test screenings reportedly got big laughs and cheers for Cage’s “ridiculously funny” moments so it looks like the film balances the blood with the wit.
