"Mortal Kombat 2 Movie: Johnny Cage, Shao Khan, Kitana Revealed"

Excitement is brewing among Mortal Kombat fans as the sequel, Mortal Kombat 2, offers a tantalizing first look at several new characters joining the fray. Entertainment Weekly has unveiled images of Karl Urban as the iconic Johnny Cage, Martyn Ford as the menacing Shao Kahn, and Adeline Rudolph as the graceful Kitana, alongside the return of Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion.

The anticipation surrounding Karl Urban's portrayal of Johnny Cage, known for his role as Billy Butcher in The Boys, reached new heights when fans saw his live-action image in an in-universe poster for a Cage movie. The image showcases 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, all familiar faces from the first film.

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

Entertainment Weekly also shared insights from Mortal Kombat developer NetherRealm's Ed Boon about Johnny Cage's role in the sequel. Boon remarked, "His integration into the Mortal Kombat story and universe is a big part of what this movie explores. He's a washed-up Hollywood guy thrown into this magical, ultra-violent thing. 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" character introduction for Johnny Cage, while director Simon McQuoid emphasized the importance of depth in Urban's portrayal: "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."

Adding to the excitement, 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.

The cast also includes Damon Herriman as Quan Chi, with Josh Lawson and Max Huang reprising their roles as Kano and Kung Lao, despite their characters' deaths in the first movie. Boon explained this resurrection, citing the series' lore: "So we deal with spirits and the NetherRealm and things like that. There are ways to bring dead characters back."

Rounding out the new additions are Tati Gabrielle as Jade and Ana Thu Nguyen as Queen Sindel. Fans can mark their calendars for Mortal Kombat 2, set to hit theaters on October 24, 2025.