Mortal Kombat is almost upon us! Despite the fact we’ve barely gotten any glimpses of Simon McQuoid’s adaptation of the beloved, bloody video game fighting series, the movie is hitting theaters and HBO Max in just two months. So it’s about time we actually got to see something of it.
Warner Bros. has released the first set of character posters for the movie ahead of a new trailer, giving us our first look at a bunch of iconic Mortal Kombat characters for the first time. Like Scorpion here, played by Hiroyuki Sanada. Sure looks like a devilish ninja, so, a) accurate, b) like what is approximately one-third of Mortal Kombat’s playable roster at any given point.
Like, say, Sub-Zero, played by Joe Taslim. One of the few things we do know about the movie is that it will explore the past origins of the feud between Scorpion and Sub-Zero’s Ninja Clans, and the conflict that sees the two turn into these supernatural fighters.
If evil ninjas weren’t enough, what about the sinister Shang Tsung, played by Chin Han, the architect behind the titular fighting tournament?
Then there’s Sisi Stringer’s Mileena, one of Shang Tsung’s subordinates. In older games, she was essentially a palette swap of another female character we don’t see in these posters, Kitana. At least her design is a little more unique here, as it has been in recent entries of the game series.
On the less supernatural but still asshole side of things, you’ve got the mercenary Kano, played by Josh Lawson. Not quite as cybernetic-looking as he is in the games, but there’s still something sinister about that eye.
Helping marshal the forces of Earthrealm to fight in Shang Tsung’s tournament is the mystical Thunder God, Raiden, played by Tadanobu Asano. And he’ll be joined by two of his stalwart apprentices...
Kung-Lao, played by Max Huang, and best known for being a dab hand with his very sharp hat...
And the kick-king himself, the fiery martial artist Liu Kang (Ludi Lin), one of the series’ most important fighters. Also, sometimes he can just turn into a dragon and completely wreck someone, that’s cool.
Raiden and his apprentices will be coming to the aid of a few less-supernaturally inclined warriors of Earth, but even then, cybernetic pugilist Jax Briggs (Supergirl’s Mehcad Brooks) can hold his own against a ninja or two.
Jax’s stalwart ally and a member of the U.S. Special Forces, Sonya (Jessica McNamee) was part of a team on the hunt for Kano before she found herself getting caught up in the tussle between Outworld and Earthrealm.
Lastly, we have someone who’s not a familiar face from the games: Cole Young, played by Lewis Tan. A young MMA fighter, Cole finds himself caught up in the strange, mystical fight between Raiden and Shang Tsung’s forces, but for him, it might feel more like destiny. Especially since he’s got a strange birthmark that’s basically the Mortal Kombat logo burned into his chest. Just sayin’!
We’ll find out more when Mortal Kombat’s first trailer drops tomorrow, February 18.
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