2021’s mediocre-but-fun Mortal Kombat movie is getting a sequel, and while we don’t have too many details yet, we’ve recently found out that The Boys actor, Karl Urban, is in talks to play a grizzled version of the popular character, Johnny Cage.
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The Wrap broke the news that Urban is in consideration for the role. In the video games the movies are based on, Johnny Cage is an action movie star who can also apparently kick butt in “real life” as well. He often serves as comic relief in the very serious franchise, and has special powers, because why not? Urban is well-equipped to take on the role if his previous work is any indication—in addition to his foul-mouthed, anger-fueled character on The Boys (pictured above), he also starred in Thor: Ragnarok as the ambitious Skurge; in the J.J. Abrams Star Trek movies as Dr. Leonard “Bones” McCoy; in Judge Dredd as the titular Dredd; in Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers as Eomer; and, of course, as Julius Caesar in twelve episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess (and Cupid in Xena and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys).
The Mortal Kombat sequel will see the return of director Simon McQuoid. The first film also teased Cage making an appearance in the latest movie iteration of the franchise by having him referenced in a mid-credits scene, though who would play him has been a mystery until now. Does Urban playing an older version of the character mean we might see his grown daughter, Cassie Cage as well?
Time will tell—we don’t have too many other details about Mortal Kombat 2 yet, other than the fact that Jeremy Slater, who also worked on Marvel’s Moon Knight and Netflix’s The Umbrella Academy, has penned the script. Both of those shows are good ones, so here’s to hoping Slater’s storytelling skills carry over to this video game adaptation as well.
2021’s Mortal Kombat is now streaming on Max.
