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

Fans of the Mortal Kombat franchise have been treated to an exciting first look at several new characters set to appear in the highly anticipated sequel, Mortal Kombat 2. Entertainment Weekly recently shared images of Karl Urban as Johnny Cage, Martyn Ford as Shao Kahn, and Adeline Rudolph as Kitana, along with the return of Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion.

The curiosity around how Karl Urban, known for his role as Billy Butcher in The Boys, would embody the egocentric Hollywood star Johnny Cage was finally satisfied with an image of Urban sporting Cage's iconic hairstyle and sunglasses, striking a classic martial arts pose. The backdrop of the image features familiar faces from the first film, including Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Mehcad Brooks as Jax, and Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade.

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, co-creator of the Mortal Kombat series from NetherRealm Studios, shared his thoughts on Johnny Cage's role in the sequel with Entertainment Weekly. "His integration into the Mortal Kombat story and universe is a big part of what this movie explores," Boon explained. He highlighted that Urban's portrayal of Cage brings a fresh perspective, adding a unique flair that differentiates it from the video game iterations. Boon also teased that Cage's introduction in the movie will be "ridiculously hilarious."

Director Simon McQuoid emphasized the importance of depth in Urban's character, stating, "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."

Entertainment Weekly also confirmed that movie-accurate skins for Urban's Johnny Cage, Rudolph's Kitana, and Ford's Shao Kahn will be available in the video game Mortal Kombat 1 later this year, further bridging the gap between the film and gaming experience.

In addition to the new faces, Damon Herriman will take on the role of Quan Chi, while Josh Lawson and Max Huang are set to reprise their roles as Kano and Kung Lao, despite their characters' demise in the first film. Boon addressed this by noting the flexible nature of the Mortal Kombat universe: "So we deal with spirits and the NetherRealm and things like that," he said. "There are ways to bring dead characters back."

Rounding out the cast, Tati Gabrielle will play Jade, and Ana Thu Nguyen will portray Queen Sindel. Mortal Kombat 2 is slated to hit theaters on October 24, 2025, promising fans an exhilarating continuation of the iconic franchise.