Mortal Kombat is a 2021 martial arts fantasy film based on the video game franchise of the same name and a reboot of the Mortal Kombat film series.[4] The film stars Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Tadanobu Asano, Mehcad Brooks, Ludi Lin, Chin Han, Max Huang, Joe Taslim, and Hiroyuki Sanada. It is directed by Simon McQuoid (in his feature directorial debut), from a screenplay by Greg Russo and Dave Callaham and a story by Russo and Oren Uziel.[5] The film follows Cole Young, a washed-up mixed martial arts fighter who is unaware of his hidden lineage or why the assassin Sub-Zero is hunting him down. Concerned for the safety of his family, he seeks out a clique of fighters that were chosen to defend Earthrealm against Outworld.
Following the critical and commercial failure of the 1997 film Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, a third Mortal Kombat film languished in development hell for a period of nearly two decades. In late 2010, Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema (whose parent company acquired the franchise from Midway Games in 2009) began developing a new film, with Kevin Tancharoen serving as director from a script written by Uziel in the wake of their Mortal Kombat: Rebirth short film. James Wan was announced as a producer in August 2015 and McQuoid was hired as director in November 2016. Production took place at Adelaide Studios in Adelaide and at other locations in South Australia.[6] Principal photography occurred from September to December 2019.
Mortal Kombat was released internationally on April 8, 2021, then in the United States on April 23, simultaneously in theaters in Dolby Cinema, IMAX and 4DX and on the HBO Max streaming service. The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $84 million worldwide against a $55 million budget. It became HBO Max's most-successful film launch to date. A sequel is in development, with Jeremy Slater set to write the screenplay.[7]
Plot[]
In 17th-century Japan, Lin Kuei assassins led by Bi-Han kill the warriors of the rival Shirai Ryu ninja clan led by Hanzo Hasashi, including Hanzo's wife and son. In a rage, Hanzo kills the attackers. Hanzo fights Bi-Han but Bi-Han stabs him with his own kunai. A dying Hanzo tells Bi-Han to remember his face and dies, resulting in his soul being condemned to the Netherrealm. Raiden, god of thunder, arrives and takes Hanzo's surviving infant, whom Bi-Han did not notice, to safety.
In the present, the realm of Outworld has defeated Earthrealm in nine of ten tournaments known as "Mortal Kombat"; if Earthrealm loses the tenth tournament, the rules state it will be conquered by Outworld. However, an ancient prophecy states that the "blood of Hanzo Hasashi" will unite a new generation of Earthrealm's champions to prevent Outworld's victory. Aware of this, soul-eating sorcerer Shang Tsung, who has overseen the last nine victories, sends his warriors to kill Earthrealm's champions, identified by a dragon mark, before the next tournament begins. One such champion, a former professional MMA fighter named Cole Young, is attacked alongside his family by Bi-Han, who now calls himself Sub-Zero. However, Special Forces Major Jackson "Jax" Briggs rescues the Youngs, directing them to find his partner, Sonya Blade. Jax stays to battle Sub-Zero but loses his arms in the process.
Cole tracks Sonya to her hideout, where she is interrogating a captive Australian mercenary named Kano. She reveals that she and Jax have been investigating Mortal Kombat's existence and that the dragon mark can be transferred to anyone who kills the original bearer. They are attacked by Shang Tsung's assassin, Syzoth, but Kano kills him with Cole and Sonya's help. They travel to Raiden's temple and meet current Earthrealm champions Liu Kang and Kung Lao before being brought to Raiden, who is critical of the newcomers. They are joined by Jax, whom Raiden rescued and fitted with a set of mechanical arms. Shang Tsung attempts to attack the temple, but is stopped when Raiden shields it from intrusion. While Sonya helps Jax recover, Cole and Kano train with Kang and Lao to unlock their "Arcana", a special power unique to all dragon mark bearers.
During an argument, Kano awakens his arcana, the ability to shoot a laser out of his right eye. Cole is unable to awaken his, despite his persistence. Disappointed with Cole, Raiden sends him back to his family, while revealing that he is a descendant of Hasashi. Shang Tsung gathers his warriors, including Kano's former ally, Kabal, to attack the temple. Kabal convinces Kano to defect and sabotage the shield. During the fray, Jax awakens his arcana, granting him superhuman strength and upgraded arms. Concurrently, the Youngs are attacked by Goro. Cole rouses his arcana, giving him a suit of armor and a set of tonfas. He kills Goro and helps repel the attack on the temple. Shang Tsung and Sub-Zero are infuriated when Raiden discloses Cole's bloodline before he teleports most of the Earthrealm fighters to the Void, a safe space between realms. Lao, however, saves Cole from Sub-Zero and has his soul taken by Shang Tsung.
Cole proposes a plan to force Outworld's champions into a single combat with those from the Earthrealm before neutralizing Sub-Zero together, forcing the tournament that Shang Tsung tried to prevent. Agreeing with the plan, Raiden gives Cole Hanzo's kunai, which still has Hanzo's blood on it, telling him that using it would get Hanzo's spirit to fight alongside him. Raiden transports Cole and his allies to their targets. While defeating Outworld's champions, including Kabal, whom Liu Kang defeats to avenge Kung Lao's death, Sonya kills Kano and acquires his dragon mark, while also getting the ability to fire purple energy blasts as her own arcana, which she also uses to kill Mileena. Sub-Zero abducts Cole's family to lure him into a one-on-one fight. Overpowered by Sub-Zero, Cole uses the kunai and drains Hanzo's blood left on it, releasing Hanzo as the vengeful specter, Scorpion. Recognizing Cole as his descendant, Scorpion helps him defeat Sub-Zero and free his family before immolating Sub-Zero with hellfire. Thanking Cole for freeing him and requesting that he take care of the Hasashi bloodline, Scorpion departs as Raiden, the other champions, and Shang Tsung arrive.
Shang Tsung vows that, next time, he will bring armies instead of individual fighters as he sends his champions' corpses back to Outworld before Raiden banishes him. Raiden declares his intention to train new warriors in preparation for the next tournament and assigns his current champions to recruit them. Cole then departs to Los Angeles in search of Hollywood for a martial artist and movie star.[8][9]
Cast[]
- Lewis Tan as Cole Young[10]
- Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade
- Josh Lawson as Kano
- Mehcad Brooks as Jackson "Jax" Briggs
- Ludi Lin as Liu Kang
- Max Huang as Kung Lao
- Tadanobu Asano as Raiden
- Chin Han as Shang Tsung
- Joe Taslim as Bi-Han / Sub-Zero[11]
- Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi / Scorpion
- Matilda Kimber as Emily Young[12][13]
- Laura Brent as Allison Young[13]
- Sisi Stringer as Mileena[14]
- Mel Jarnson as Nitara
- Nathan Jones as Reiko
- Daniel Nelson as Kabal[15]
- Damon Herriman as Kabal (voice)
- Angus Sampson as Goro (voice)
Production[]
Development[]
TBA
Casting[]
TBA
Filming[]
TBA
Visual effects[]
Rising Sun Pictures (RSP), an Adelaide company, was principal VFX provider, delivering over 600 visual effects shots for the film. The studio's artists also created the effects for the last scene, a furious fight lasting around 10 minutes.[16] RSP won an AEAF Special Merit Award in 2021 for their work on the film.[17]
Music[]
The score for Mortal Kombat was composed by Benjamin Wallfisch.[18] In March 2021, director Simon McQuoid revealed that Wallfisch actually began compositions for the film before he was officially hired on the project and that the film will include a new version of the track "Techno Syndrome" by The Immortals,[19] produced by Wallfisch.
Release[]
Marketing[]
TBA
Theatrical and streaming[]
TBA
Home media[]
Mortal Kombat was released on Digital HD on June 11, 2021 and on DVD, Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on July 13, 2021.[20]
Reception[]
Audience viewership[]
TBA
Box office[]
TBA
Critical response[]
TBA
Sequel[]
TBA
See also[]
- List of films based on video games
References[]
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedLang-April21 - ↑ Template:Cite Box Office Mojo
- ↑ Template:Cite The Numbers
- ↑ [TBA 'Mortal Kombat' Summary & Ending, Explained - Fails To Compete With Its Animated Version | DMT] (en-US) (2021-04-26).
- ↑ [TBA Mortal Kombat (Reboot) – WGA Directory].
- ↑ [TBA 'Finish him: Mortal Kombat post-production work to be centred in Adelaide'] (January 24, 2020).
- ↑ Fleming, Mike Jr. (2022-01-26). [TBA New Line Moving Forward With 'Mortal Kombat' Sequel; 'Moon Knight' Scribe Jeremy Slater Scripting] (en-US).
- ↑ Identified off-screen as Johnny Cage.
- ↑ [TBA Mortal Kombat ending explained: 2021 movie's sequel teases, cameos].
- ↑ Template:Cite magazine
- ↑ Error on call to Template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be specified.
- ↑ [TBA Young Matilda Kimber Added to the Cast of the Mortal Kombat Movie] (December 6, 2019).
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 [TBA Mortal Kombat (2021)].
- ↑ Perry, Spencer (September 16, 2019). [TBA Production Begins on New Mortal Kombat Movie]. ComingSoon.Net.
- ↑ Fischer, Tyler (December 17, 2020). [TBA Mortal Kombat Movie Confirms Kabal Actor]. Comic Book.
- ↑ [TBA Mortal Kombat] (17 August 2021).
- ↑ [TBA Awards & Nominations]. Rising Sun Pictures (2021).
- ↑ [TBA Mortal Kombat Reboot Award-Winning Composer Revealed].
- ↑ [TBA 'Mortal Kombat's Composer Began the Score Before Getting Hired — And Yes, It Includes the Iconic Theme] (en-US) (2021-03-06).
- ↑ [TBA 'Mortal Kombat' Gets 4K Blu-ray and Digital Release Dates] (June 3, 2021).
External links[]
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- Template:IMDb
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