The creator of Mortal Kombat 2 has given fans their first look at Karl Urban as Johnny Cage.
In 2021, Mortal Kombat returned to the big screen in style with a gloriously gory introduction to our new live-action roster of characters, including all but one from the theme song’s name-drops: Johnny Cage.
He was teased in the film’s final moments, with Cole Young setting off to Los Angeles in search of the martial arts movie star. Fan casting was rife, with the likes of Channing Tatum, The Miz, Billy Magnussen, and Rob McElhenney all in the mix as suitable candidates for the fighter.
However, fans were in for a surprise: The Boys star Karl Urban is set to play the roundhouse-kicking, shades-sporting brawler, and we’ve been given a first look at him in a behind-the-scenes photo.
Mortal Kombat 2 set photo reveals Karl Urban as Johnny Cage
Ed Boon, the co-creator of Mortal Kombat, posted a photo of himself and Urban on the set of the sequel. “Heeeeeeeeeere’s JOHHNY,” he tweeted.
Heeeeeeeeeere’s JOHHNY !@KarlUrban #MK2movie pic.twitter.com/mrfnPMbVgQ
— Ed Boon (@noobde) July 13, 2023
Boon distanced himself from the first entry, with many suspecting he disagreed with the creative decisions; after all, it was a movie called Mortal Kombat that didn’t even feature a tournament. However, he’s more involved this time around, with producer Todd Garner earlier teasing a Stan Lee-style Kameo.
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Production kicked off in June, but it’s been halted as a result of the strikes in Hollywood, with writers and actors campaigning for fairer pay in the streaming era and rallying against AI.
Garner shared a statement from the Producers Guild of America which reads: “The Producers Guild of America stands with SAG-AFTRA as its members make the difficult decision to strike against the studios, companies, and streamers that make up the AMPTP.
“As the second major union to take this bold step, our industry stands at a pivotal moment in time. The combined actions of SAG-AFTRA and the ongoing Writers’ strike signify a monumental sacrifice by actors and writers, one that is aimed at driving meaningful change within our industry. We believe that fair compensation and essential benefits, including access to healthcare are a critical concern and the inherent right of every individual working in this industry. We stand in solidarity with our colleagues.”
In the meantime, you can check out our other Mortal Kombat Koverage here, find out more about the sequel here, and news on other video game adaptations below:
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