When it comes to upcoming video game movies, there are few that I’m looking forward to seeing more than Simon McQuoid’s Mortal Kombat II. Set for release near the end of the 2025 movie schedule, the latest adaptation of one of my favorite games looks like it’ll have everything I want in a Mortal Kombat movie, especially my boy, Johnny Cage. Seriously, Karl Urban’s wise-cracking ass-kicker steals the show in the first trailer, and I think that’ll be the case for the movie when it comes out later this year.
However, this has me thinking… what does Johnny Cage being front and center in Mortal Kombat II mean for one character in particular: Lewis Tan’s Cole Young? You know, he was the new kombatant introduced in 2021’s movie, and seemingly the focal point of the franchise? So, I can’t help but wonder what’s going to happen with this divisive character moving forward.
Based On The First Trailer, It Seems Like Johnny Cage Is The Star Of The Show
Mortal Kombat ending a few years ago, it was all but guaranteed that everyone’s favorite Hollywood ass-kicker would be showing up in the long-awaited sequel in a big way, and the Mortal Kombat II trailer doubles down on that. He’s the first character we see, he’s the one on the receiving end of all that exposition (this seems like a lot for a sequel, by the way), and he has a lot of the trailer’s best moments.
his mystical armor in the second). What’s even crazier is the fact that he has zero lines of dialogue. Pretty much every other character coming back from the first movie speaks, so it’s strange that the guy propped up to be Earth’s protector is on the sidelines.
Maybe there’ll be another Cole-centric trailer in the future, or maybe he just won’t be a big deal in the sequel. We shall see.
so-bad-it’s-good Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, where Johnny Cage (Chris Conrad) was killed off in the first five minutes, but I’d be surprised to see him play a major role.
With so many great characters either coming back or being introduced (like Shao Khan, who I’m beyond excited to see), it’s going to be hard for the already somewhat unlikable character to get time to shine.
Regardless of what happens to Cole Young in Mortal Kombat II, I’ll be there to see the movie opening weekend with my shades on and ready to celebrate the one and only, Johnny fucking Cage.