Mortal Kombat II‘s director is impressed by one key aspect of the sequel.
Simon McQuoid, who directed both Mortal Kombat movies released in the 2020s, has addressed the newest movie’s record-breaking Rotten Tomatoes score ahead of its next big release. The second movie in the rebooted film franchise sees Raiden and Sonya Blade recruit action movie star Johnny Cage in their fight against Shao Khan, participating the titular fighting tournament to keep Earthrealm safe. Mortal Kombat II reviews have been the best of any film adaptation, scoring a 64% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
From the Great Tournament to the Reboot Era · Eight Questions How Well Do You Know the Mortal Kombat Movies? “MORTAL KOMBAT!”
🥊The 1995 OriginalTest your might
🔥AnnihilationThe 1997 sequel
❄️2021 RebootGet over here
💉FatalitiesFinish him!
🎮Mortal Kombat II2025 sequel
01
The 1995 Mortal Kombat film, made for a modest $18 million, opened to $23 million on its first weekend, knocked off Seven from the #1 spot and went on to become a video-game-movie touchstone of the era. The film was helmed by a then-rookie British director who’d later turn the Resident Evil franchise into a global hit. Name him.
✓ Correct! Paul W.S. Anderson, then 30 and on his second feature after 1994’s Shopping. Mortal Kombat’s box-office success put Anderson on Hollywood’s map — he went on to direct Event Horizon, Soldier and the entire Resident Evil film franchise (six films, 2002–16). To this day Anderson’s 1995 Mortal Kombat is widely regarded as one of the most watchable video-game adaptations ever made.
✗ Wrong. The answer is Paul W.S. Anderson. Roland Emmerich was busy with Independence Day in 1996. Renny Harlin made Cliffhanger and Cutthroat Island around this period. Stephen Sommers later did Deep Rising (1998) and The Mummy (1999). Mortal Kombat (1995) is Paul W.S. Anderson’s breakout.
02
The 1995 film cast its central hero — the Shaolin monk Liu Kang, fighting in the tournament to avenge his murdered brother — with a Hong Kong-born actor and martial artist who would reprise the role in 1997’s Annihilation. Name him.
✓ Correct! Robin Shou. Born in Hong Kong, Shou had previously appeared in Tiger Cage 2 and as a stunt-double choreographer for Jet Li. He played Liu Kang in both 1995’s Mortal Kombat and 1997’s Annihilation, choreographed his own fight scenes for the original film, and remains the actor most strongly identified with on-screen Liu Kang prior to the 2021 reboot (where Ludi Lin took over the role).
✗ Wrong. The answer is Robin Shou. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa plays Shang Tsung in the 1995 film — the soul-stealing villain. Russell Wong didn’t appear in either 1990s MK film. Mark Dacascos has had similar action-hero roles (Brotherhood of the Wolf, Cradle 2 the Grave, John Wick 3) but isn’t Liu Kang. Robin Shou is the one.
03
In the 1995 film, the thunder god and protector of Earthrealm Lord Raiden — complete with conical straw hat, electric eyes and a wry, dryly amused delivery — was played by a French actor best known for the cult Highlander films. Name him.
✓ Correct! Christopher Lambert — the New York-born, Geneva-raised French actor best known as Connor MacLeod in the Highlander films. Lambert reportedly took the role for $1 million plus profit participation, and his weirdly amused performance (“You’re very perceptive”) is a fan-favourite. Lambert chose not to return for 1997’s Annihilation, where Raiden was recast with James Remar.
✗ Wrong. The answer is Christopher Lambert. Jean-Claude Van Damme was famously offered Johnny Cage but ultimately wasn’t in the film — though Cage’s splits-and-groin-punch finishing move is a JCVD homage. Vincent Cassel and Pierce Brosnan were never attached. Lambert is the 1995 Raiden.
04
The franchise’s instantly recognisable theme — a pumping techno bass riff capped with an ecstatic shouted “MORTAL KOMBAT!” — was written by Olivier Adams and Praga Khan under the project name The Immortals for the 1993 single “Mortal Kombat” before being repurposed as the 1995 film’s anthem. What’s the song’s actual track title?
✓ Correct! “Techno Syndrome” — track three on The Immortals’ 1994 album Mortal Kombat: The Album, which Sony commissioned to capitalise on the games. The song’s opening “MORTAL KOMBAT!” shout is sampled directly from in-game digitised audio. The 1995 film’s opening sequence remixed it as “Techno Syndrome 7th Edition,” which is the version everyone remembers — and the version returned for the 2021 reboot.
✗ Wrong. The answer is “Techno Syndrome.” “Test Your Might” is one of the original arcade game’s mini-games, not a song title. “Finish Him” and “Fatality” are in-game catchphrases. The actual title of the legendary “MORTAL KOMBAT!” track is “Techno Syndrome,” written by The Immortals for Sony’s 1994 tie-in album.
05
Two years after the 1995 hit, the much-maligned sequel rushed into theatres with a slimmer budget, recast Raiden and Sonya, and threw a mountain of fan-service cameos at the screen — Sheeva, Sindel, Motaro, Cyrax, Smoke, Nightwolf, Jade, Mileena. It tanked critically and spent over two decades as a punchline. What was the sequel’s subtitle?
✓ Correct! Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (November 1997). Director John R. Leonetti (the original’s cinematographer) took over from Anderson on a compressed schedule, with most of the original cast either declining to return or recast (James Remar replaced Lambert as Raiden, Sandra Hess replaced Bridgette Wilson as Sonya). It earned $51 million worldwide on a $30 million budget, killed the franchise’s film prospects for decades and is widely cited as one of the worst video-game adaptations ever made.
✗ Wrong. The answer is Annihilation. Mortal Kombat: Conquest is a 1998–99 syndicated TV series. “Deception” is a video game subtitle (Mortal Kombat: Deception, 2004). “Resurrection” isn’t official. The 1997 sequel is Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, directed by John R. Leonetti.
06
The 2021 reboot, produced by James Wan’s Atomic Monster and directed by Simon McQuoid, introduced an original audience-surrogate protagonist named Cole Young — a struggling Chicago MMA fighter with a dragon-mark birthmark who’s pulled into the tournament. Which English-American actor played him?
✓ Correct! Lewis Tan — the English-American actor and martial artist (Iron Fist, Deadpool 2, Wu Assassins) playing the original-character protagonist Cole Young. Cole was created specifically for the film, isn’t in any of the games, and was a fan-debate flashpoint — the choice to centre an original character ahead of established Liu Kang divided early reactions before the film opened to over $80 million worldwide.
✗ Wrong. The answer is Lewis Tan. Mark Dacascos isn’t in this film. Iko Uwais (The Raid) was rumoured for a role but wasn’t cast. Tony Jaa (Ong-Bak) wasn’t involved either. Lewis Tan plays Cole Young — the original-character lead created specifically for the 2021 film’s reboot continuity.
07
In the 2021 reboot, Bi-Han / Sub-Zero — the cryomancer Lin Kuei assassin who freezes blood into icicle-blade weapons in some of the film’s standout setpieces — is played by an Indonesian martial-arts star best known for his role as Jaka in The Raid. Name him.
✓ Correct! Joe Taslim — the Indonesian Olympic-level judoka turned actor (The Raid, Fast & Furious 6, Star Trek Beyond, The Night Comes for Us). Taslim’s ice-knife fight choreography in the cold-open prologue (Hanzo Hasashi vs Bi-Han in feudal Japan) and his climactic Cole Young rematch are the film’s most-praised sequences. He returned in a different role for Mortal Kombat 2.
✗ Wrong. The answer is Joe Taslim. Iko Uwais — Taslim’s frequent The Raid co-star and the franchise’s breakout name — isn’t in the 2021 film. Yayan Ruhian (Mad Dog from The Raid) isn’t either. Tony Jaa is the Thai Ong-Bak star. Joe Taslim is the 2021 Sub-Zero.
08
The follow-up to the 2021 reboot was officially announced in early 2022 with director Simon McQuoid returning, much of the original cast back, and the long-awaited big-screen debut of Johnny Cage — played by Karl Urban. The film hits theatres in October 2025. What’s its title?
✓ Correct! Mortal Kombat II, releasing October 24, 2025 from New Line / Warner Bros. Karl Urban joins the cast as Johnny Cage — the brash Hollywood action star who never made it into the 2021 film — alongside returning actors Lewis Tan, Joe Taslim, Hiroyuki Sanada, Jessica McNamee, Mehcad Brooks and others. The film is set up to finally adapt the actual Outworld tournament from the games, which the 2021 reboot famously deferred.
✗ Wrong. The answer is Mortal Kombat II (also styled Mortal Kombat 2). “Aftermath” is a Mortal Kombat 11 game DLC. “Outworld” and “Reborn” aren’t official. The 2025 sequel is simply titled Mortal Kombat II, directed by Simon McQuoid, with Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage as the headline addition.
Tournament Complete · Final Verdict Your Kombat Standing
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/ 8
Grand Champion — or first-round Fatality?
In an interview with ScreenRant‘s Grant Hermanns for the film’s home media release, McQuiod addressed Mortal Kombat II‘s impressive feat as the most well-reviewed movie in the franchise according to Rotten Tomatoes. The filmmaker didn’t know about the critics score prior to this interview and was impressed by how much the film managed to resonate. He explained how, attending screenings with fans, he saw how hyped people were for the movie, and how excited it made them to see so many elements from the video game finally make it onto the big screen.
Check out what McQuiod had to say below:
ScreenRant: I’m talking to the guy who gave me two of the most epic Mortal Kombat movies ever made, so I’m doing pretty great. Truly, these movies have been an absolute blast, as someone who’s been a longtime fan of the franchise, so kudos to you for making an even better movie this time around than the one I already loved in 2021. I’m not the only one who is saying how good this movie is, how fun this movie is. How has it been for you following that reception, and also getting to set the Rotten Tomatoes record for the franchise for the best-reviewed installment thus far?
Simon McQuoid: I didn’t realize that. The thing that is the most satisfying part of this — I’m not on social media, I don’t really look at anything. But what was really satisfying is in several screenings, some in test screenings, and but also once the film was finished, with a packed audience, was to hear people viscerally respond in a way. We just spent several years theorizing and working it on and having great fun bringing it to life. To get to that, it was a massively satisfying feeling to hear the gasps at the right time, and the laughs. Just to get a real sense that people really enjoyed their experience in the cinema, and how the audience feels, and how they connect with what I am trying to make. It’s massively important to me, so to feel that within the cinema was great, and I’ll never forget that.
The story of Mortal Kombat II reflects more elements of the games than the first film, which followed an original character, Cole Young, as he was introduced to the world of the video game franchise. Here, Johnny Cage gets the spotlight, allowing for a succinct version of the game’s typical narrative with the video game elements at the forefront. This includes plenty of Easter eggs, as well as a storyline that reflects the action-heavy elements of the source material. It was enough that critics were impressed by its translation into the big screen.
But viewers are also enamored by how well the movie manages to do justice to the source material. Rotten Tomatoes also reports that Mortal Kombat II ended up with a Verified Hot 87% from audience members, based on over 5,000 verified ratings. While the critic score is impressive, the audience score is just as important, reflecting McQuoid’s story about seeing fans enjoy the film in theaters. It’s proof the franchise has legs on the big screen, and could continue to impress going forward.
However, Mortal Kombat II did underperform at the box office, earning $129 million while carrying an $80 million budget. However, the movie has been out on digital since June 9, while it will be available on physical Blu-ray on July 28. Mortal Kombat III has already been confirmed, indicating Warner Bros. expects the movie to perform well enough post-theatrical release to justify a sequel. The high ratings from critics and audiences alike are a strong sign of this positive future.
With Mortal Kombat II making such an important mark on the video game franchise’s adaptation history, it paves the way for a noteworthy future that embraces even more ideas from the video games themselves. The series is ripe for continuation, and, if McQuoid and the rest of the filmmaking team can keep to the video game’s importance, it can produce another vital adaptation for the series.
