HBO Max Shows Off New “Mortal Kombat” Footage

Warner Bros. Mortal Kombat reboot is one of the more leery projects coming out of Hollywood, especially considering the spotty track record film adaptations of video games have. The first movie, released all the way back in 1995, was a modest success, with audiences taking to the stylized violence and the adherence to the general concepts of the game. Most agree that while the picture isn’t revolutionary in any way, it was a fun interpretation that, more or less, got things right.

It was the sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, that put the franchise’s cinematic future on ice for decades, though. An awful story combined with atrocious CGI and lackluster fight choreography led to fans outright dismissing the movie. And, in fact, the stink of that failure is still very much attached to the series.

Even so, Warners seems to have faith in the reboot, so much so that they added some footage of fan-favorite ninja Sub-Zero into a compilation video to hype all their 2021 releases. You can see the video below:

This year, the biggest Warner Bros. premieres are coming to theaters and streaming on HBO Max the exact same day. What movie are you most excited for? 🍿 https://t.co/6Ny7n8JUGk pic.twitter.com/UEMmDlMIy6

— HBO Max (@hbomax) January 16, 2021

This new iteration will star Ludi Lin as Lui Kang, Mehcad Brooks as Jax Briggs and Josh Lawson as the villain Kano. Other characters, such as Kung Lao and Sonya Blade are also expected to appear and it’s being suggested that the core of the plot will focus on the rivalry between Sub-Zero and Scorpion, ninjas from opposing clans with an intense hatred for one another.

This is heartening news, as it shows that there will be an emotional core to the proceedings, and it’ll be more than just an excuse for exciting fight sequences. While there is certainly no guarantee that this reboot will make up for the mistakes of the past, this seems like a step in the right direction.
Mortal Kombat will be released on April 21st on HBO Max and in theaters where available.