MOVIE NEWS – Mortal Kombat II aims to deliver the flawless victory that fans have been waiting for when the highly anticipated sequel hits theaters this October—a tall order after the mixed reception of the first film just four years ago. While COVID-19 played its part, the main problem was the weak storytelling that left diehards crying “fatality” for all the wrong reasons in 2021. But with Karl Urban’s cocky Johnny Cage now joining the fray, fan expectations have never been higher.

Producer Todd Garner has ambitious plans for the franchise’s future. In a recent interview with FutureBoyWho on YouTube, he stated:

“We hope this isn’t the end of the [Mortal Kombat] franchise. This movie is not the end game, hopefully. We’re already planning more. There’s character development […] We don’t want to cram everything into this one film and then have nowhere to go. Characters deserve time to develop.”

Garner highlighted how Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim) and Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada) saw major growth in the 2021 film, while Kano (Josh Lawson) looked quite different than his video game counterpart. He assured fans: Kano will eventually get his signature metal eye plate. He went on:

“There are plans […] And if this film is successful, that means room for spin-offs, more sequels, new characters, and evolving the ones we’ve introduced.”

He cautioned, “Nothing is set in stone”, but made it clear that Liu Kang is getting the spotlight he deserves, in contrast to the forgettable portrayal in the previous film. This time, the character will truly drive the story forward.

Todd Garner on Liu Kang’s Role: “He Drives the Franchise”

Many believe Mortal Kombat 2021 missed the mark—even with MovieWeb calling it a “bloody awesome reboot”—because of the mishandling of Liu Kang’s role. Ludi Lin did his best with a weak script while trying to fill Robin Shou’s iconic 1995 shoes. Garner commented:

“There’s been plenty of reporting about the test screenings, and I’ll tell you, everyone involved with this franchise loves Liu Kang and knows how vital he is. I promise he will be the force pushing this series forward.”

He teased that Mortal Kombat II will introduce characters who haven’t appeared in the trailers, including some unexpected cameos. When pressed for details, he said:

“I can’t tell you that. There are characters and cameos you haven’t seen yet. We want to keep some surprises for the fans.”

Mortal Kombat II premieres on October 24. Garner revealed that test audiences have reacted positively and confirmed there will finally be a tournament in this movie. With Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage already the talk of the internet, the sequel looks set to beat the “pathetic” $84.4 million worldwide box office of 2021’s film, just as Shao Kahn would put it.

Source: FutureBoyWho