Mortal Kombat II is almost here, and the upcoming film can finally make up for a 28-year-old franchise mistake that annoyed fans. While 2021’s Mortal Kombat wasn’t perfect, it was an improvement from previous films, and Mortal Kombat II‘s introduction of Johnny Cage has made the sequel even more exciting for fans of the fighting game franchise.
A new trailer for Mortal Kombat II has been released, putting the spotlight on Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage. Johnny Cage is one of the most popular Mortal Kombat characters, with him being an American action movie star who joins the Mortal Kombat tournament. Urban’s character is a pretty faithful of Johnny Cage, which is exciting news for Mortal Kombat II.
Interestingly, Urban’s Johnny Cage seems to be the protagonist of the upcoming sequel. Original character Cole Young was the protagonist of 2021’s Mortal Kombat movie, but after teases from the filmmakers, the trailers have seemingly confirmed that Young will have a much smaller role. Instead, Johnny Cage is at the center of the story, making up for this other Mortal Kombat story.
Mortal Kombat 2 Is Making Up For Johnny Cage’s Ridiculous Death In Annihilation
He Was Killed Off Way Too Soon
Mortal Kombat II introducing Johnny Cage is great, as it makes up for his ridiculous death in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. 1997’s Mortal Kombat: Annihilation is a notoriously hated video game adaptation, with it often being considered the worst entry in the Mortal Kombat movie series.
Johnny Cage is killed incredibly early in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, with this upsetting many fans. This death decision was made due to Linden Ashby deciding not to return for the sequel. So, the film recast Johnny Cage for the opening moments and killed him off, with him being absent for the rest of the film.
Why Johnny Cage Didn’t Appear In The 2021 Mortal Kombat Reboot
According To The Filmmakers
Johnny Cage wasn’t in 2021’s Mortal Kombat movie at all, and the filmmakers have confirmed that this was simply because Johnny Cage didn’t fit into their story. Instead, they decided to tease Johnny Cage at the end of the film, saving him for a sequel.
Karl Urban Can Become The Definitive Version Of Johnny Cage (But It Won’t Be Easy)
He Has To Overcome One Other Interpretation
Now that Johnny Cage is back in the Mortal Kombat movie series, Karl Urban can become the definitive version of the character. The trailers for Mortal Kombat II have proven that Johnny Cage can capture the schlocky action star energy of the character, and he looks to be a ton of fun.
However, Urban has one big hurdle: Linden Ashby. While the old Mortal Kombat movies weren’t great, Ashby was, with his Johnny Cage being the best part of the film. Karl Urban will have to do even better than him in Mortal Kombat II, which will undoubtedly be a big challenge.
