Mortal Kombat 2 has been delayed until May 2026, a decision that should benefit its box office take. Final Destination ate well in that window this year, pulling in more than $300 million worldwide. MK is a similar franchise. It came of age decades ago but has a not insignificant fanbase ready to support a good movie. And, of course it's built on watching people die in the most horrific ways possible.
Now's a good time for me to talk to the fanbase that seems concerned about Karl Urban being the lead as Johnny Cage. Urban's too good an actor for this franchise, if we're honest. He should be a much bigger star, and likely would have been if either JJ Abrams' Star Trek or Dredd had lived up to expectations.
Those films may have had their problems, but I don't count Urban among them. He elevates everything he's in, and if Mortal Kombat 2 succeeds, it will be because he carries it. This franchise is dang lucky to have an actor of his caliber. His experience in franchises that should have been bigger will inform a performance about an actor regretting some of his career choices. In an interview with IGN, Urban showed just how much he gets it.
"We start him at a very low point. His career is completely in the dumps. He has no self-confidence. He has neglected his martial arts training," Urban said. "And at his lowest point, he gets called up to, essentially, be a warrior that represents the Earthrealm and fight for the very future of humanity. And as I read the script, I found it just such a compelling, interesting, dynamic journey. We start this character in one place, and as an audience, we get to see him evolve and grow."
I'm ready for Urban's take on Cage. This is the best actor to ever appear in this franchise and I say again, we're fortunate to have him on board.