The recently releasedMortal Kombat 2movie trailer seems to hint that Warner Bros. is shifting toward Johnny Cage being the main protagonist in the upcoming sequel. The cocky movie star-turned-Earthrealm defender was conspicuously absent from the 2021Mortal Kombatmovie, with original character Cole Young (Lewis Tan) seemingly taking his place as a curious newcomer to the battle against the wicked Shang Tsung and his minions. Johnny Cage was still referenced in a post-credits scene as a set-up for the eventual sequel, which is set to hit theaters on October 24.
Mortal Kombat 2is adding even more classic Kombatants to the budding live-action universe, with the toweringShao Khan stepping in as the main antagonistand the likes of Kitana, Jade, and Quan Chi among the familiar faces joining the fray. Sure enough, Johnny Cage will be reporting for duty this time around, played byStar TrekandThe Boysstar Karl Urban. Ironically, Urban’s onscreen nemesis Homelander was featured as a guest fighter inMortal Kombat 1just before his impending arrival as the hotheaded actor who becomes an actual hero.
Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage is the primary focus of the latestMortal Kombat 2trailer, which starts with him sitting in a bar listening to a fan wax about hisfavorite Johnny Cage moviesbefore the star is recruited by Raiden and his allies for the impending battle against Shao Khan. At first, Cage is reluctant to fight, as he is just a regular human without the special powers that the other Kombatants possess. Still, he is cast into a high-stakes match against Baraka, where he shows off some impressive martial arts skills.
It Looks Like Johnny Cage is the Star of Mortal Kombat 2
While watching thisMortal Kombat 2trailer, one could get the feeling thatit is Johnny and not Cole Youngwho is the main character this time, as the latter only appears in a few brief shots and doesn’t have any lines. Of course, trailers don’t always accurately reflect what happens in the movie, but it appears that it will be Johnny who challenges Shao Khan given that the trailer ends with a shot of the Outworld tyrant approaching before cutting back to a battle-ready Cage striking a pose.
Mortal Kombat 2’s new trailer features plenty of other fun surprises for longtime fans, such asScorpion unleashing a gruesome Fatalityon the resurrected Noob Saibot and Tati Gabrielle’s Jade wielding her energy staff. However, the most significant shift seems to be Johnny Cage taking over as the film’s primary character, which might be welcome news for fans given how divisive Cole Young was in the previous movie.
