Mortal Kombat 2 writer Jeremy Slater says the creative team is listening to fan reactions to the original film. Warner Bros. rebooted the adaptation of the iconic video game franchise in 2021, with Simon McQuaid directing. Taking a new, R-rated approach, Mortal Kombat focused on washed-up MMA fighter Cole Young (Lewis Tan) as he figures out his secret lineage. Young assembles a group of elite fighters to protect Earthrealm against Outworld, while facing off against the lethal assassin Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim). Mortal Kombat was released simultaneously in theatres and on HBO Max in April 2021. It earned $83 million worldwide, becoming HBO Max's most successful feature launch. Following this success, the studio announced that Mortal Kombat 2 was in development, with Moon Knight writer Slater penning the screenplay.
Although the new film sought to remedy the reputation of the film franchise after Paul W.S. Anderson's universally panned 1997 film, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, the Mortal Kombat reboot received mixed reviews from both fans and critics. While there was some praise for the gruesome action and the film's faithfulness to its source material, including the reproduction of some iconic fight scenes, audiences were generally unimpressed by the joylessness of the Mortal Kombat screenplay, as well as the uncharismatic performances. However, heading into Mortal Kombat 2, there are plans to resolve the original movie's problems.
Now, in a new interview with Discussing Film, Slater reveals that Mortal Kombat 2's creatives are paying attention to fan feedback on the 2021 movie. With the sequel currently in the early stages of development, the crew is hearing from viewers to see what worked and what didn't in Mortal Kombat, and they plan to use the response to make a movie that "tops the original in every way."
Though it's only in the early stages, Mortal Kombat 2 is already shaping up to be a thrilling project. The video games' beloved protagonist and comic foil, Johnny Cage, will appear in Mortal Kombat 2. Both WWE's The Miz and martial artist/actor Scott Adkins are interested in playing Cage. -Screen Rant