With director Simon McQuoid’s Mortal Kombat now playing in theaters and streaming on HBO Max, I recently spoke with Joe Taslim (Sub-Zero) about making the R-rated video game adaptation. During the interview, he talked about why Noob Saibot has the most brutal fatality, why Sub Zero is the strongest character, what people would be surprised to learn about the making of the movie, what Sub Zero’s Friendship would have been, and more.

The new Mortal Kombat movie is about an MMA fighter named Cole Young (Lewis Tan) who discovers he has a personal connection to an otherworldly group of fighters, who band together to defeat supernatural villain Shang Tsung. If you’ve seen the red-band trailer, you know the movie is loaded with the characters from the video game and doesn’t shy away from the blood and gore. The film also stars Josh Lawson as Kano, Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden, Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Max Huang as Kung Lao, Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, Max Huang as Kung Lao, Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi a.k.a. Scorpion, Mehcad Brooks as Major Jackson "Jax" Briggs, Chin Han as Shang Tsung, Sisi Stringer as Mileena, Mel Jarnson as Nitara, and Daniel Nelson as Kabal.

Check out what Joe Talsim had to say in the player above and below is exactly what we talked about followed by the official synopsis.

Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero in Mortal Kombat — Image via New Line Cinema

Joe Talsim:

Who is the strongest character in the game and who is the strongest in the movie?
Did they come up with their characters Friendship even though it isn’t in the movie?
Who does he think has the most brutal fatality in the game and in the movie?
What would people be surprised to learn about the making of the Mortal Kombat movie?

Here’s the official synopsis for Mortal Kombat:

From New Line Cinema comes the explosive new cinematic adventure 'Mortal Kombat,' inspired by the blockbuster video game franchise, which most recently enjoyed the most successful video game launch in its history, 'Mortal Kombat 11.' In 'MortalKombat,' MMA fighter Cole Young, accustomed to taking a beating for money, is unaware of his heritage—or why Outworld's Emperor Shang Tsung has sent his best warrior, Sub-Zero, an otherworldly Cryomancer, to hunt Cole down. Fearing for his family's safety, Cole goes in search of Sonya Blade at the direction of Jax, a Special Forces Major who bears the same strange dragon marking Cole was born with. Soon, he finds himself at the temple of Lord Raiden, an Elder God and the protector of Earthrealm, who grants sanctuary to those who bear the mark. Here, Cole trains with experienced warriors Liu Kang, Kung Lao and rogue mercenary Kano, as he prepares to stand with Earth’s greatest champions against the enemies of Outworld in a high stakes battle for the universe. But will Cole be pushed hard enough to unlock his arcana—the immense power from within his soul—in time to save not only his family, but to stop Outworld once and for all?