Movies

How Mortal Kombat 2’s Johnny Cage Is Completely different From Video Sport & Previous Film Variations Defined By Karl City

July 19, 2025

Mortal Kombat 2 is lastly set to introduce Johnny Cage, however Karl City means that his character shall be a bit totally different to what followers are used to seeing. As a result of arrive in theaters on October 24, the newest adaptation of the hit online game franchise is poised to introduce a number of iconic franchise characters absent from 2021’s Mortal Kombat reboot.

Talking with IGN, City revealed that when audiences first meet his model of the Mortal Kombat fighter Johnny Cage, he shall be lacking a lot of the brashness and “spark” that followers of the franchise are used to. As a substitute, viewers will discover the previous Hollywood motion star at a low level in his profession. Take a look at his feedback beneath:

Once we first uncover Johnny, he’s type of missing a variety of that quintessential spark that I feel followers of the sport will know.

We begin him at a really low level. His profession is totally within the dumps. He has no self-confidence. He has uncared for his martial arts coaching. And at his lowest level, he will get known as as much as, primarily, be a warrior that represents the Earthrealm and struggle for the very way forward for humanity. And as I learn the script, I discovered it simply such a compelling, attention-grabbing, dynamic journey. We begin this character in a single place, and as an viewers, we get to see him evolve and develop.

Nevertheless, followers who’re eager to see City embrace a few of Cage’s trademark swagger won’t be upset, and because the film progresses, the character begins to regain his confidence and cockiness, in addition to his signature online game strikes. Take a look at his continued feedback beneath:

A beautiful aspect of the writing is that they actually humanize the character of Johnny and he isn’t some [two-dimensional] character, not that he ever was, however he has room to develop. And he actually does that as he positive factors his confidence and positive factors his perception in his self, [and] a few of that type of cockiness and swagger begins to come back by means of.

Followers of Johnny Cage are going to be tremendous delighted by the signature strikes and all of the nods and parts that we have labored so exhausting to infuse into the film.

The Transfer Displays Johnny Cage’s ’90s Motion Hero Roots

Whereas Mortal Kombat 2’s launch may even introduce a number of new franchise characters, together with Adeline Rudolph’s Kitana and Martyn Ford’s Shao Kahn, Johnny Cage’s exclusion from 2021’s Mortal Kombat solid lineup was puzzling for a lot of. As one of many unique seven playable characters from 1992’s first Mortal Kombat recreation, Cage has remained entrance and middle all through the franchise’s decades-long historical past.

Karl Urban wearing sunglasses as Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 2 (2025) next to his character Billy Butcher from The Boys (2019-2026) on a fiery background

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Mortal Kombat 2 Casting Karl City Makes A Lot Extra Sense Now That Johnny Cage’s Position In The Sequel Has Been Revealed

Karl City’s Johnny Cage casting in Mortal Kombat 2 was met with division, however current details about the film permits it to make much more sense.

Nevertheless, City’s feedback recommend that director Simon McQuoid and screenwriter Jeremy Slater are taking a intelligent method to working him into the sequel. Not solely does his ongoing neglect of his martial arts coaching present an appropriate in-universe clarification for his unique lack of being nominated as an Earthrealm champion, nevertheless it even pays homage to the character’s recreation inspirations.

Initially launched as a parody of Jean-Claude Van Damme and different notable ‘90s motion stars, the concept behind reworking City’s Cage right into a former motion hero whose profession additionally peaked within the ‘90s is an impressed choice. A lot as City suggests, it additionally permits the movie to inject his considerably one-dimensional recreation character with depth and an appropriate character arc.

Our Take On Mortal Kombat 2’s Down-On-His-Luck Johnny Cage

Earthrealm’s Latest Champion Seems Set To Repeat Cole Younger’s Journey

Johnny Cage talking to someone in Mortal Kombat 2 trailer

Cage’s former superstar apart, in some ways, City’s character appears destined to comply with an identical character arc to that already charted by Lewis Tan’s Cole Younger within the first Mortal Kombat film. Now poised to imagine the place of Earthrealm’s latest, and most reluctant champion, the journey from washed-up fighter to champion of humanity is one thing audiences have already seen.

The choice to middle 2021’s Mortal Kombat on an unique character, whereas neglecting the franchise’s best-known fighter, was initially the supply of a lot consternation amongst followers.

Nevertheless, now that mantle is being bestowed on the character audiences have been crying out for because the first film was introduced. The choice to middle 2021’s Mortal Kombat on an unique character, whereas neglecting the franchise’s best-known fighter, was initially the supply of a lot consternation amongst followers. Mortal Kombat 2 now appears poised to appropriate that preliminary oversight.

Supply: IGN