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Everything You Need to Know About Mortal Kombat Before the 2026 Sequel
- Sakshi D
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 8 hours ago
I remember watching my cousin brother play Mortal Kombat whenever I visited India. He’d destroy me with Sub-Zero while I button-mashed as Sonya. Now Hollywood is finally giving this franchise the treatment it deserves.
Mortal Kombat 2 hits theaters 2026 with Karl Urban playing Johnny Cage and Shao Kahn showing up as the main villain. The stakes are higher than ever because this is the decisive 10th tournament that determines if Earth survives or gets conquered.
If you’re planning to watch the sequel, you need context. The 2021 reboot introduced new characters, changed storylines, and set up conflicts that will pay off in this next film.
Here’s everything you need to know before Mortal Kombat 2 drops.
What Happened in Mortal Kombat (2021)?
The 2021 reboot reset everything. New timeline, new protagonist, new rules.
The Setup
The film opens in 17th century Japan where Bi-Han (Sub-Zero) massacres Hanzo Hasashi’s family and clan in a brutal opening sequence that sets the tone for everything that follows.
Hanzo becomes Scorpion, a hellfire spectre seeking revenge from beyond the grave. This seven-minute sequence is the best part of the entire film and delivers the R-rated violence fans wanted.
Cole Young
Fast forward to present day and we meet Cole Young, an MMA fighter with a mysterious dragon birthmark who gets hunted by Sub-Zero for reasons he doesn’t understand.
Turns out Cole is a descendant of Hanzo Hasashi, and his birthmark identifies him as a champion of Earthrealm chosen to fight in the Mortal Kombat tournament.
The Tournament Rules Explained
Here’s where the rules matter:
Outworld and Earthrealm compete in these tournaments
If Outworld wins ten consecutive times, their emperor Shao Kahn can invade Earth completely
Outworld has already won nine times
One more loss means Earth is finished
The sorcerer Shang Tsung serves Shao Kahn and decides to cheat by sending assassins to kill Earthrealm’s champions before the tournament even starts
Earth’s Champions Assemble
Cole finds Sonya Blade and Jax Briggs, who take him to Raiden’s temple where he meets Liu Kang and Kung Lao. These fighters all have the dragon mark that identifies them as Earth’s chosen champions.
Each champion has an “arcana” (a supernatural ability unlocked through training and combat):
Liu Kang: Controls fire and dragon energy
Kung Lao: Razor-sharp teleporting hat
Jax: Cybernetic arms with superhuman strength
Sonya: Pink Power Rings
Cole: Golden armor that absorbs and reflects damage
Cole spends most of the film struggling to unlock his arcana while everyone else is already powered up, which creates tension because he’s supposed to be important but can’t contribute to fights.
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The Final Battle
The climax involves Shang Tsung sending his fighters to attack Raiden’s temple directly. Kano (a mercenary) betrays Earth and fights for Outworld. Sub-Zero leads the assault. Goro (the four-armed champion) battles Cole in a fight that forces him to finally unlock his golden armor.
Major fight results:
Kung Lao kills Nitara with his hat
Sonya kills Kano and takes his arcana (laser beams)
Liu Kang defeats Kabal with dragon fire
Cole defeats Goro using his absorbing armor
Scorpion returns from the Netherrealm and kills Sub-Zero
Shang Tsung retreats after his fighters lose, and Raiden banishes the sorcerer while warning that Outworld will return for the actual tournament.
The film ends with Cole leaving to recruit more champions, and the final scene shows him arriving at Johnny Cage’s mansion.
Who’s Who: Characters Returning in Mortal Kombat 2026
The Heroes
Liu Kang (Ludi Lin) is Earthrealm’s primary champion, a Shaolin monk trained by Raiden who controls fire and serves as the most skilled fighter on Earth’s team. He’s the leader who keeps everyone focused when things get chaotic.
Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee) is a Special Forces officer who earned her dragon mark by killing Kano and now has laser eye beams as her arcana. She’s been researching the tournament for years and brings tactical knowledge that the other fighters lack.
Jax Briggs (Mehcad Brooks) is Sonya’s partner who lost his arms to Sub-Zero and got cybernetic replacements from Raiden. He’s still adjusting to his new power and struggles with the trauma of losing his limbs in combat.
Cole Young (Lewis Tan) is the new protagonist and MMA fighter with golden armor arcana. His role in the sequel is unclear, but he’s connected to Scorpion’s bloodline and ended the first film recruiting Johnny Cage.
The Gods and Villains
Raiden (Tadanobu Asano) is the thunder god who protects Earthrealm and trains the champions while enforcing tournament rules. He can’t directly fight because of Elder Gods’ laws, which frustrates him when his champions are in danger.
Shang Tsung (Chin Han) is the soul-stealing sorcerer who serves Shao Kahn and broke the rules by sending assassins before the tournament. Now he has to face consequences for cheating, and you know Shao Kahn isn’t happy about the failure.
Sub-Zero/Bi-Han (Joe Taslim) is the Lin Kuei assassin with ice powers who Scorpion killed in the first film. He’ll return as Noob Saibot (a shadow demon) in the sequel because death doesn’t stick in this universe.
Scorpion/Hanzo Hasashi (Hiroyuki Sanada) is the resurrected warrior from the Netherrealm who saved Cole (his descendant) and killed Sub-Zero. Expect him to have a bigger role since his bloodline is connected to Earth’s survival.
New Characters Joining Mortal Kombat 2
Johnny Cage (Karl Urban)
The Hollywood action star who becomes Earth’s champion, and this casting is perfect. Cage brings humor and charisma to balance the serious fighters, and the first film ended with Cole recruiting him specifically. The July 2025 trailer showed him fighting with Kitana’s fan and delivering one-liners while dodging death.
Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford)
The emperor of Outworld and the ultimate villain who’s been pulling strings behind Shang Tsung. This is the final boss fight that the entire franchise has been building toward. The trailer gives us our first glimpse of him in his trademark helmet.
Kitana (Adeline Rudolph)
An Edenian princess and daughter of King Jerrod and Queen Sindel who was raised by Shao Kahn after he conquered Edenia. She’ll likely switch sides to help Earthrealm based on her game lore. Kitana is one of the most popular characters from the games, so her live-action debut is huge.
Jade (Tati Gabrielle)
Kitana’s best friend and bodyguard, a loyal Edenian warrior who follows wherever Kitana goes. If Kitana defects, Jade comes with her. She fights with a staff and has speed-based powers.
Quan Chi (Damon Herriman)
The Netherrealm sorcerer and necromancer who resurrected Scorpion in the first place. Expect dark magic, soul manipulation, and schemes that complicate everyone’s plans. He’s a major villain in the games who manipulates events from the shadows.
The Edenian Royalty
King Jerrod (Desmond Chiam) and Queen Sindel (Ana Thu Nguyen) are Kitana’s parents and rulers of Edenia before Shao Kahn conquered them. Their story adds emotional stakes to Kitana’s journey.
What to Expect in Mortal Kombat 2
The Decisive 10th Tournament
This is the final battle where everything is on the line. If Earthrealm loses, Shao Kahn invades and conquers Earth permanently. The stakes are existential, and director Simon McQuoid has promised that casualties will be counted because not everyone survives this tournament.
More Brutal Fatalities
The sequel promises more fatalities and R-rated violence that pushes beyond what the first film delivered. McQuoid confirmed they’re going further with creative kills while keeping the action coherent. The trailer already shows game-accurate fatalities that fans have been demanding.
Character Deaths Are Coming
Series creator Ed Boon hinted that major characters will die, which means your favorite fighters might not make it to the end. This isn’t a safe sequel where everyone survives because the plot armor is gone.
Kitana and Jade’s Defection
Both characters will likely defect from Outworld to fight for Earthrealm based on their game storylines. Their switch adds complexity because they’re turning against the man who raised them.
Sub-Zero Returns as Noob Saibot
After Scorpion killed him, Sub-Zero resurrects as a shadow demon serving Quan Chi. Joe Taslim confirmed he’s back for more fights with new powers and a darker edge.
Do You Need to Watch the Other Mortal Kombat Movies?
No. The 2021 film is a complete reboot that exists in its own timeline.
Everything before it happens in different continuities that don’t connect:
Mortal Kombat (1995): Fun but not required. Different cast, different story.
Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997): Terrible and completely skippable.
Mortal Kombat Legends (animated films): Great for hardcore fans but separate continuity.
If you watch the 2021 Mortal Kombat, you’re completely caught up for the sequel. That’s it.
Are you planning to watch Mortal Kombat 2 in theaters? Which new character are you most excited to see fight?
