Johnny Cage, Shao Khan, Kitana Revealed in Mortal Kombat 2 Film

Fans of the iconic fighting game series can finally get a glimpse of the new characters set to grace the screen in the upcoming "Mortal Kombat 2" movie. Entertainment Weekly has unveiled first-look images of Karl Urban as the flamboyant Johnny Cage, Martyn Ford as the formidable Shao Kahn, and Adeline Rudolph as the elegant Kitana. Hiroyuki Sanada also returns to his role as Scorpion, a fan-favorite from the first film.

Speculation about Karl Urban's portrayal of Johnny Cage, known for his role as Billy Butcher in "The Boys," has been rife since his image appeared on an in-universe poster for a Cage movie. The new image reveals Urban sporting Cage's signature hairstyle and sunglasses, striking a classic martial arts pose. In the background, we catch glimpses of Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Mehcad Brooks as Jax, and Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, adding to the excitement.

First looks at Johnny Cage, Shao Khan, Kitana, and Scorpion in Mortal Kombat 2 film:

Karl Urban ➡️ Johnny Cage
Martyn Ford ➡️ Shao Kahn
Adeline Rudolph ➡️ Kitana
Hiroyuki Sanada reprises as Scorpion

Via: https://t.co/1CHXzLhFGK#MortalKombat2 pic.twitter.com/7ifeMHzhC6 — Shinobi602 (@shinobi602) March 17, 2025

Ed Boon, the creative force behind the Mortal Kombat games at NetherRealm Studios, shared his thoughts with Entertainment Weekly on Johnny Cage's integration into the sequel's narrative. "His integration into the Mortal Kombat story and universe is a big part of what this movie explores," Boon stated. He praised Urban's unique take on the character, adding, "He's a washed-up Hollywood guy thrown into this magical, ultra-violent thing. Karl, his depiction of Johnny Cage is different than our games in some ways. He's adding his own flair to it, but I think it'll feel fresh. There's like a novelty factor in there."

Boon also teased a "ridiculously hilarious" introduction for Johnny Cage. Director Simon McQuoid emphasized the balance they aimed to strike with the character, noting, "We wanted a character that wasn't just completely silly, comic book… It's a character that could instantly go there and become too light and throwaway if we were to lean too much into the kind of cheese. The casting of Karl Urban for that role allowed that character to have more depth."

In exciting news for gamers, Entertainment Weekly confirmed that movie-accurate skins for Urban's Johnny Cage, Rudolph's Kitana, and Ford's Shao Kahn will be available in "Mortal Kombat 1" later this year.

The cast of "Mortal Kombat 2" also includes Damon Herriman as Quan Chi, with Josh Lawson and Max Huang reprising their roles as Kano and Kung Lao, respectively, despite their characters' demise in the first film. Boon explained how the film leverages the franchise's lore to bring back deceased characters, saying, "So we deal with spirits and the NetherRealm and things like that. There are ways to bring dead characters back."

Rounding out the new additions are Tati Gabrielle as Jade and Ana Thu Nguyen as Queen Sindel. "Mortal Kombat 2" is slated to hit theaters on October 24, 2025, promising an action-packed continuation of the saga.