It looks like there is more Mortal Kombat in store, according to a new Deadline exclusive report. A sequel has been announced as being in development after the first film in the rebooted franchise premiered last year in both theaters and on HBO Max, becoming one of the biggest feature releases on the streaming service. The films, including the newly-announced sequel, are based on the explosively successful video game franchise.
Jeremy Slater has been hired to write the sequel, having previously served as head writer on the upcoming Marvel Disney+ project Moon Knight, the TV series that is set to star Oscar Isaac, Ethan Hawke, and the late Gaspard Ulliel, who recently died following a skiing accident. In addition to that forthcoming project, Slater previously scripted the Netflix/21 Laps film Uprising from director Travis Knight and an adaptation of Stephen King’s The Tommyknockers for producer James Wan. He also developed the small-screen adaptation of The Umbrella Academy for Netflix and served as creator and co-showrunner of FOX series The Exorcist.
The Mortal Kombat films are based on the video game franchise of the same name, which was originally created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. The 1995 film adaptation of the games, Mortal Kombat, was a commercial success, while its sequel Mortal Kombat: Annihilation was significantly less so, and both received mixed to negative reviews upon release. However, both films have garnered a cult audience both for their over-the-top action sequences and scene-chewing dialogue.
With dramatic dialogue, dynamic action and violence, and an inescapably camp sensibility, the 2021 remake fit well into the franchise's legacy when it was released simultaneously to theaters and on HBO Max in April. The film received a mixed critical reception, but was a huge success with audiences, especially from its streaming release. The film was directed by Simon McQuoid, who also produced with Todd Garner, E. Bennett Walsh, and James Wan. Mortal Kombat followed an MMA fighter on a mission to seek out Earth’s best fighters and help them face off against the warriors of the realm known as the Outworld, battling it out for the fate of the universe.
The first film starred Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Joe Taslim, Ludi Lin, Hiroyuki Sanada, Max Huang, Sisi Stringer, and Mehcad Brooks, among others. No announcements have been made regarding the cast of the sequel, and no plot details have yet been released. The release date for the sequel film is yet unknown. However, if you have a hankering to catch up on the action of the first film before the sequel is released, you can catch Mortal Kombat on HBO Max.