‘Mortal Kombat II’ Movie Gets Massively Delayed Just 2 Months Before Theatrical Release
Fans waiting for the next Mortal Kombat movie will need to hold on a little longer, as New Line Cinema confirmed with a poster that Mortal Kombat II, starring Karl Urban and directed by Simon McQuoid, has been delayed.
The sequel was originally set to hit theaters on October 24, but it will now be released on May 15, 2026. Deadline reports that Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema believe the movie could perform better at the summer box office, especially given the strong reaction to the trailer.
Mortal Kombat II continues the story from the 2021 Mortal Kombat movie. The film is directed by Simon McQuoid, written by Jeremy Slater, and is based on the iconic video game series created by Ed Boon and John Tobias.
This sequel also marks the fourth installment in the Mortal Kombat film series. Returning cast members include Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman (in a new role), Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano, Joe Taslim, and Hiroyuki Sanada. New additions to the cast include Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph, and Tati Gabrielle.
After the release of the first Mortal Kombat in April 2021, producer Todd Garner, writer Greg Russo, and director Simon McQuoid began planning the future of the franchise.
They discussed standalone movies for characters like Johnny Cage and Bi-Han / Sub-Zero, as well as a direct sequel. By 2022, Warner Bros. officially green-lit the project, with Jeremy Slater on the script and McQuoid returning to direct.
Filming began in June 2023 in Australia, paused mid-July due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, resumed in mid-November, and finished in late January 2024.
It's called Mortal Kombat (II).
— Warner Bros. Canada (@WarnerBrosCA) July 17, 2025
Mortal Kombat II – only in theatres and October 24. pic.twitter.com/hSwv0q0Qqs
New Line Cinema described the movie as “the latest high-stakes installment in the blockbuster video game franchise in all its brutal glory, Mortal Kombat II. This time, the fan favorite champions—now joined by Johnny Cage himself—are pitted against one another in the ultimate, no-holds-barred, gory battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders.”
With filming completed and the new release date set, fans can now look forward to seeing the next chapter of Mortal Kombat in theaters on May 15, 2026.
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