‘Mortal Kombat 2’ Release Date Moved Up, But Don’t Get Your Hopes Up Too Much
Mortal Kombat II is the next big martial arts fantasy movie, set to continue the story from the 2021 Mortal Kombat film.
Directed by Simon McQuoid and written by Jeremy Slater, the film brings back several familiar faces, including 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 first Mortal Kombat came out in April 2021, producer Todd Garner, writer Greg Russo, and McQuoid started planning the future of the series. This included talks about solo films for characters like Johnny Cage and Bi-Han/Sub-Zero, as well as a direct sequel to the 2021 movie. By 2022, Warner Bros. officially approved the sequel, with Slater handling the script and McQuoid returning as director.
Filming began in June 2023 in Australia but was briefly paused in mid-July because of the SAG-AFTRA strike. Production picked back up in mid-November and wrapped up 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
The movie’s story will follow the champions of Earthrealm, joined by Johnny Cage, as they battle each other while trying to stop Shao Kahn from taking over.
According to Warner Bros., the new release date is set for May 8, 2026, in theaters across the United States. The film had previously been scheduled for October 24 of this year and then May 15, 2026, showing that the project has seen several shifts in its release timeline.
A third Mortal Kombat film is already in development, signaling that the franchise will continue beyond this upcoming sequel.
Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!