Five years after the 2021 reboot, Mortal Kombat II brought the video game tournament back to cinemas on May 8, 2026. The sequel adds the most requested character of the series, the washed-up action star Johnny Cage, and finally stages the tournament between Earthrealm and Outworld that the first film only promised.

The film at a glance

• Director: Simon McQuoid
• Screenplay: Jeremy Slater
• Cast: Karl Urban (Johnny Cage), Adeline Rudolph (Kitana), Jessica McNamee (Sonya Blade), Ludi Lin (Liu Kang), Hiroyuki Sanada (Scorpion), Joe Taslim (Bi-Han / Noob Saibot), Tadanobu Asano (Raiden), Martyn Ford (Shao Kahn)
• Release: May 8, 2026 (United States)
• Running time: 116 minutes, rated R
• Box office: about $129 million worldwide on an $80 million budget

What it is about

Johnny Cage, a fading movie star, is recruited by Lord Raiden and Sonya Blade to fight for Earthrealm in an interdimensional tournament. Their opponent is the tyrant Shao Kahn, emperor of Outworld, and their unexpected ally is the Edenian princess Kitana.

The martial arts angle

Like the 2021 film, the sequel casts several performers with real fighting backgrounds. Joe Taslim, the star of The Raid, competed in judo for Indonesia before becoming an actor. Hiroyuki Sanada returns as Scorpion after decades of action and samurai roles, and Max Huang, a member of Jackie Chan's stunt team, plays Kung Lao. The fights mix wire work and fantasy powers with grounded exchanges, closer to a superhero film than to a pure kung fu movie.

What critics said

Critics were split. On Rotten Tomatoes 64% of 202 reviews were positive, Metacritic gave it 46 out of 100 and audiences polled by CinemaScore gave it a B. Supporters enjoyed its self-aware, over-the-top tone and found it an improvement on the 2021 film. Detractors found the story thin, while most agreed that the fights come fast and with plenty of energy. The film opened at number two in the United States behind The Devil Wears Prada 2, and a third film has not been confirmed.

Should you watch it?

If you enjoyed the 2021 film or grew up with the games, yes: it is bigger, funnier and gives the fans the tournament they wanted. If you are looking for the precise choreography of a Hong Kong action film, start with our guide to martial arts cinema instead.