The Big Picture
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Mortal Kombat 2
has wrapped filming, with Scorpion playing a bigger role in the coming sequel according to Hiroyuki Sanada. - Expect new characters like Johnny Cage, Shao Khan, and Princess Kitana in
Mortal Kombat 2. - Scorpion’s presence in the sequel hints at possible participation in the tournament teased in the first film.
Earlier in the year, after a raft of teases dropped by producer Todd Garner regarding filming on the upcoming sequel, Mortal Kombat 2, it was announced that principal photography on the highly anticipated film had wrapped. Based on the iconic fighting game of the same name, the franchise dropped the 2021 feature, Mortal Kombat, introducing us to a number of legendary combatants from the video game series. One of such inconic characters was Scorpion, whose backstory offered much needed foundation to the larger plot of the film. Portrayed by Hiroyuki Sanada, Scorpion only made one major appearance toward the film’s end, when he joined forces with his descendant, Cole, to battle Sub-Zero. Now, Sanada is teasing what to expect from the kunai weilding warrior in the sequel.
Despite Scorpion’s limited appearance in the 2021 film, his fight scene near the end helped inadvertently usher in the arrival of the undead Noob Saibot — a revenant of Sub-Zero. While Noob Saibot is expected in the sequel, Sanada, while speaking to Screen Rant, revealed that his character will enjoy an increased role in the coming sequel. However, in comparison with the full length of the movie, the actor notes that Scorpion’s screen time won’t be much, saying:
Yeah, exactly, he was a bookend. 10 minutes and 10 minutes. [Laughs] It all depends on the editing, but yeah, I was there. It was a great reunion on set, most of the cast from the first movie, maybe four or five big new characters in it. The same director, and the same costume designer, it was fun. In the Australia Gold Coast, right after the strike, we started shooting, and we’re all done now.
If Sanada’s words are any guide, his character would most likely feature at the beginning and ending portions of the coming sequel, just like he did in the 2021 feature. Filming on Mortal Kombat 2 began in November 2023, and would see the return of Simon McQuoid to the director’s chair after his work on the first film. Being freed from his Netherrealm realm prison, Scorpion’s availability suggests, perhaps, that the character might be able to participate in the tournament which was teased throughout the first film.
‘Mortal Kombat 2’ Will Have “Big New Characters”
The Mortal Kombat franchise is rife with a ton of iconic characters and fighters, some of whom will be arriving on screen in the coming sequel. While we met a number of them in the 2021 film, the next installement is set to introduce even more “big new characters” as Sanada put it. For starters, Johnny Cage will be coming aboard, to must certainly bring some level of humor to the fight. Martyn Ford and Adeline Rudolph will be coming aboard as Shao Khan and Princess Kitana respectively, while we will have the dread of seeing the arrival of the deadly necromancer, Quan Chi (Damon Herriman).
Mortal Kombat 2 is yet to get a release date, but stay tuned to Collider for details. Mortal Kombat is streaming now on Max in the U.S.
Mortal Kombat 2021
MMA fighter Cole Young seeks out Earth’s greatest champions in order to stand against the enemies of Outworld in a high stakes battle for the universe.
- Release Date
- April 7, 2021
- Runtime
- 98 minutes
- Writers
- Greg Russo , Dave Callaham , Oren Uziel , Ed Boon , John Tobias
- Tagline
- Get over here!
- Production Company
- New Line Cinema, Atomic Monster, Broken Road Productions
