The Boys star Karl Urban will be taking on the role of Johnny Cage in the upcoming film sequel, Mortal Kombat 2. The traditional portrayal of the fan-favorite fighter has become so well-established among fans that Mortal Kombat star Lewis Tan has warned that Urban’s version will be a disappointment.
Tan, who played original character Cole Young in the first film, gave an update on Mortal Kombat 2 in a new interview with Screen Rant. While he didn’t go into specifics, Tan hinted that Urban’s take on Johnny Cage probably won’t be what Mortal Kombat fans are expecting. However, he did hint that fans will love what the acclaimed actor brings to the role, while bringing a “unique” take on the iconic character.
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“He brings a really interesting interpretation to Johnny Cage,” Tan said. “I can’t say too much about it, but personally, he’s a great guy, fun on set, we had a lot of laughs. I love the way he’s playing the role. It’s very unique and maybe not what people expect, but I think he’s a really good actor. He’s been around for a long time and has played a lot of great roles and been in a lot of great series himself, so he’s used to this kind of thing and he brings something really special.”
Johnny Cage will be brought to life by Karl Urban in Mortal Kombat 2
One of the issues fans had with the 2021 film was the complete absence of Johnny Cage. Due to the popularity of the character in the video games, it felt like something big was missing for fans, but his appearance was hinted at at the end of the first film. It was later announced that Urban would be playing the character, and considering that a 52-year-old actor will be playing Johnny Cage, it’s clear that the fighter isn’t as young as most of his classic portrayals. Notably, Johnny Cage has been imagined as a middle-aged father in some video games, and his daughter, Cassie Cage, has even been featured as a playable character.
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Joining Tang in returning stars from the first film are Jessica McNamee (Sonia Blade), Mehcad Brooks (Jax Briggs), Tadanobu Asano (Raiden), Ludi Lin (Liu Kang), Joe Taslim (Bi Han), Hiroyuki Sanada (Scorpion), Max Huang (Kung Lao) and Josh Lawson (KANO). In addition to Urban, the sequel’s cast also includes Adeline Rudolph (Kitana), Martin Ford (Shao Kahn), Tati Gabriel (Jade), Desmond Chiam (King Jerrod), Anna Thu Nguyen (Queen Sindel), Damon Herriman (Quan Chi) and CJ Broomfield (Baraka).
Mortal Kombat 2 will hit theaters on October 24, 2025. For now, fans can rewatch the first installment by streaming the 2021 Mortal Kombat movie on Max.
Source: Screenrant
Mortal Kombat (2021)
Mixed martial artist Cole Young seeks out Earth’s greatest champions to face his enemies from Outworld in a dangerous battle for the cosmos.
Director: Simon McQuoid
Release date: April 23, 2021
Starring Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Tadanobu Asano, Mehcad Brooks, Ludi Lin, Chin Han, Joe Taslim, Hiroyuki Sanada, Max Huang, Ceci Stringer, Matilda Kimber, Laura Brent
Duration: 1 hour 50 minutes
Producer James Wan
