Although the original Mortal Kombat is the video game that inspired America’s love affair with cartoonish acts of brutality in their fighting games, it’s arguable that Mortal Kombat 2 was the game that truly launched the franchise into video game superstardom. Expanding the storyline, introducing iconic new stages and fatalities, and almost doubling the playable roster – MK2 was not just a thunderous success befitting Raiden himself, it also established many of the crucial players and much of the relevant lore in the franchise. And now, 23 years later, it seems as if the game’s film counterpart will be following in its footsteps.
On February 25, Warner Bros. released the official second trailer for Mortal Kombat 2 (only the second in a planned trilogy), heavily showcasing Karl Urban as Johnny Cage, but amidst all the bone-crunching martial arts on display there’s one character curiously absent from the proceedings: Cole Young, the original character and lead of the first film played by Lewis Tan. Young’s inclusion was criticized by fans who felt that his spotlight took away from the flagship characters in the series, and if the new trailer is any indication, the sequel is rectifying that mistake with an even bigger focus on the ensemble.
