‘Mortal Kombat 2’ sets HBO Max release date

“Mortal Kombat 2,” the sequel to the hit video game adaptation released in 2021, will be available to stream on HBO Max on July 24 after earning $129 million at the worldwide box office.

Director Simon McQuoid returned after making his directorial debut with the first “Mortal Kombat” movie. The film follows Johnny Cage, a martial arts actor who is recruited by the thunder god Raiden and Sonya Blade to join his fellow Earthrealm fighters in an inter-dimensional tournament against the Outworld warriors. Earth’s fighters team up to stop the tyrannical emperor Shao Kahn, with the help of the deadly Edenian princess Kitana.

While the original movie introduced several of the video game’s iconic characters, the sequel brought on “The Boys” star Karl Urban as Cage, along with Adeline Rudolph as Kitana; Tati Gabrielle as Jade, Kitana’s childhood friend; Damon Herriman as the dark wizard Quan Chi; Martyn Ford as Shao Kahn, the evil emperor of the Outworld dimension; Ana Thu Nguyen as Queen Sindel, Kitana’s mother; Desmond Chiam as Kitana’s father King Jerrod; and CJ Bloomfield as Baraka, a fanged fighter.

Returning cast members include Lewis Tan as the original protagonist Cole Young; Jessica McNamee as military officer Sonya Blade; Ludi Lin as the karate master Liu Kang; Mehcad Brooks as Jackson “Jax” Briggs, complete with super strong, bionic arms; Josh Lawson as the Australian killer Kano; Chin Han as the evil sorcerer Shang Tsung; Tadanobu Asano as Raiden; Hiroyuki Sanada as the fighter Scorpion; Joe Taslim as his archenemy, Sub-Zero; and Max Huang as Kung Lao, who wields a razor sharp hat.

-Variety