While you can make a fun and engaging film from a video game property that doesn’t relate much to the property, you win fans of the game over a lot better when you really respect the source material. As previously revealed, the new Mortal Kombat film is due out in theaters and HBO Max on April 16th, 2021 as part of parent Warner Bros. attempting to maximize both paths during the pandemic. With the Godzilla vs Kong movie having been pushed back previously, there’s only a two-week window for that film to own the space. So Warner Bros. has now pushed back the debut of Mortal Kombat by a week to April 23rd, 2021.
The intent is also to give that film more standing as well as there’s definitely interest in it. The red-band trailer below has been viewed at 116 million times, the most ever for a red-band trailer. The added bonus is that each week that things get pushed back slightly like this, more theaters are re-opening as well.
The film comes from director Simon McQuoid based on the screenplay by Greg Russo and Dave Callaham with Warner Bros. distributing it. The first full trailer is now out and it delivers the film that I’ve wanted to see since plunking down quarters in the arcade decades ago.
The cast includes:
- Lewis Tan as Cole Young
- Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade
- Josh Lawson as Kano
- Tadanobu Asano as Raiden
- Mehcad Brooks as Jackson “Jax” Briggs
- Ludi Lin as Liu Kang
- Chin Han as Shang Tsung
- Joe Taslim as Bi-Han / Sub-Zero
- Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi / Scorpion
- Max Huang as Kung Lao
- Sisi Stringer as Mileena
- Matilda Kimber as Emily Young
- Laura Brent as Alison Young
- Elissa Cadwell as Nitara
- Daniel Nelson as Kabal
Plot Concept: A washed-up mixed martial arts fighter named Cole Young is unaware of his hidden lineage or why he is being hunted down by Sub-Zero of the Lin-Kuei clan of assassins. Concerned for the safety of his family, he seeks out a clique of fighters that were chosen to defend Earthrealm in a high-stakes battle against the forces of Outworld.
