Mortal Kombat: Rebirth

The First Episode of MORTAL KOMBAT: LEGACY Is Online

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: April 12th, 2011 at 8:38 am

The first episode of director Kevin Tancharoen’s Mortal Kombat: Legacy has been released.   While each of the nine episode web series will focus on different characters in the Mortal Kombat universe, the first one features Michael Jai White as Major Jackson ‘Jax’ Briggs and Jeri Ryan as Lt. Sonya Blade.

While I was nervous that Warner Premiere might neuter what Tancharoen did in his short film Mortal Kombat: Rebirth and we’d see a PG version of Mortal Kombat, I’m happy to report the first episode has a few scenes of extreme violence.  Of course the big question is…will any episode feature a “fatality”?  Hit the jump to watch the first episode and if you missed my video interview with Ryan for the series, watch it here.

Exclusive: Jeri Ryan Talks MORTAL KOMBAT: REBIRTH & MORTAL KOMBAT: LEGACY, ABC’s BODY OF PROOF and Karaoke

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: April 11th, 2011 at 7:13 pm

With Warner Premiere’s Mortal Kombat live–action digital series premiering tomorrow on Machinima.com (a new episode will launch every week), the studio held a press junket today in Beverly Hills and I got to speak with Jeri Ryan, Michael Jai White, director Kevin Tancharoen and game creator Ed Boom.

As most of you know, Tancharoen and the same cast filmed Mortal Kombat: Rebirth last year and the success of the short led Warner Premiere to offer Tancharoen the job helming the new live-action web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy. While the short film was a tease at what Tancharoen wanted to do with a feature, the web series is being released in conjunction with the new Mortal Kombat video game and it’s goal is to offer gamers the history of the warriors they know and love.  Obviously if the new series is a success, I’m sure we’ll get more installments.  But I’m still hoping that Tancharoen will get the keys to a hard R feature…

Anyway, during my interview with Ryan we talked about how she got involved in the project, what was it like to film all the action, is she signed for more Mortal Kombat series or even a feature, and we talked about Body of Proof on ABC and what’s her karaoke song. Hit the jump to watch.

First Clip From MORTAL KOMBAT: LEGACY

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: April 7th, 2011 at 3:32 pm

If I didn’t tell you the first clip from the upcoming web-series Mortal Kombat: Legacy (based off last year’s popular short Mortal Kombat: Rebirth) was from Mortal Kombat: Legacy, you would likely never figure it out.  There’s no special moves, no gore, or any other trademark the Mortal Kombat video games are known for.  It looks like a scene from the world’s most generic action movie so I assumed at some point a person would break the fourth wall and ask me to please silence my cell phone.

Hit the jump to check out the clip, but if you’re expecting bionic arms or heart-ripping fatalities, you’re going to be sorely disappointed.  Mortal Kombat: Legacy premieres April 12^th on Machinima.com.

Michael Jai White and Jeri Ryan Cast in MORTAL KOMBAT Web-Series

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: February 14th, 2011 at 3:15 pm

In round one, we brought you the announcement that Warner Premiere would be developing a live-action Mortal Kombat web-series based off of director Kevin Tancharoen’s popular short, Mortal Kombat: Rebirth. In round two, we’re bringing you news that the series will feature both Jeri Ryan (Star Trek: Voyager) and Michael Jai White (Black Dynamite) reprising their roles as Lt. Sonya Blade and Major Jackson “Jax” Briggs, respectively. Joining them will be Darren Shalahvi (300), playing the protagonists’ common enemy, Kano.

Tancharoen is returning to direct the series and promises to keep the gritty and brutal storytelling that made the original short so popular. The series will look to deepen the backstory of the Mortal Kombat universe and give fans a whole new perspective of their favorite characters.   For more info about the project from Tancharoen and a look at the next video game incarnation of Mortal Kombat, GET OVER HERE! and hit the jump.

Live-Action MORTAL KOMBAT Web Series in Development

by Jason Barr    Posted: January 24th, 2011 at 8:58 am

Earlier today, Warner Premiere announced the development of its live-action Mortal Kombat digital series.  Directed by Mortal Kombat: Rebirth creator Kevin Tancharoen (who also directed the 2008 dance film Fame), the web series will begin shooting in Vancouver next month and will be available through online retailers this spring.  Per the press release from Warner, the series will “take gamers deep into the history of warriors they know and love.”  As for those warriors, the release cites characters such as Scorpion, Johnny Cage, and Liu Kang as key members of the series (no love for Sonya Blade?).

For more on the upcoming series, hit the jump to check out both the press release and the Mortal Kombat: Rebirth short.

Interview with MORTAL KOMBAT: REBIRTH Director Kevin Tancharoen; Talks About What He Wants to do in a Feature Version!

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: June 9th, 2010 at 7:31 pm

If you’re a Mortal Kombat fan, yesterday was Christmas.  That’s because an awesome short film called Mortal Kombat: Rebirth hit the net and it featured a gritty, real world approach to the material.  Featuring Michael Jai White, Jeri Ryan, martial artists Lateef Crowder, Ian Anthony Dale and Matt Mullins, the short film has been getting nothing but positive write-ups across the cyberspace.  You really should check it out.

But the big story was what was the purpose and who made the short.  Some guessed it was for an unannounced feature film, and others thought it might be for a new Mortal Kombat game.

When word got out it was directed by Kevin Tancharoen (Fame), I was kind of stunned. After all, who would have thought the guy who made Fame would have directed an awesome Mortal Kombat short.  Thankfully, I had Tancharoen’s email and reached out to see if he wanted to talk about how the short came together and why he wanted to make it.  If you’d like to know a lot more, hit the jump to either read or listen to our interview.  I’ve also included some highlights as bullet points:

Is This MORTAL KOMBAT: REBIRTH Viral Video Trying to Sell a Hard-R Adaptation to Warner Bros?

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: June 8th, 2010 at 3:11 pm

An impressive short film entitled Mortal Kombat: Rebirth hit the web earlier today.  It centers on Jax trying to convince a shadowy figure to enter the Mortal Kombat tournament and kill vicious psychopaths Baraka, Reptile, and other murderers that are participating.  It’s a “real-world” approach so Reptile is actually the victim of a rare hereditary disease and Baraka is a doctor who went mad and inserted giant blades into his arms (but not in the stupid Deadpool way from X-Men Origins: Wolverine).  Basically, no one has superpowers beyond freakish behavior and martial arts.

Hit the jump to check out the short and learn more about the project and what it’s trying to accomplish.

UPDATE: We landed an exclusive interview with director Kevin Tancharoen.  He talks about how the short came together and what he’d like to do in a feature version.  Click here to read it.

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