Karl Urban with sunglasses smiles as Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat II Warner Bros.

First MORTAL KOMBAT II Trailer Brings Johnny Cage to the Fight

Originally posted on Nerdist | By Michael Walsh | Last updated Jul 17, 2025 1:46 PM ET

It’s officially time for Round II. And this time Mortal Kombat is adding some glitz and glamour to its deadly competition. Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage is entering the fight, and the first trailer for Mortal Kombat II shows he’s ready, if a little reluctant, to prove he’s a real warrior. Earthrealm better hope his bravado is anything but false, too, because, just as he always does, Shao Kahn is here for the sequel.

Begin. And try not to get your head and spine detached from your body. Earthrealm needs you to keep your head on straight since Shao Kahn is getting involved with this deadly tournament. Of course he has! He’s been doing that since 1993!

What will happen when he does? Exactly what Mortal Kombat fans love and expect. Here’s the film’s official synopsis from New Line Cinema:

This time, the fan favorite champions—now joined by Johnny Cage himself—are pitted against one another in the ultimate, no-holds barred, gory battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders.

Before Warner Bros. shared this trailer, IGN released a fake trailer for the latest in-universe Johnny Cage movie. As far as promos for fictional movies go it is a flawless victory. It also hinted at just how big a part of the film the iconic Hollywood martial arts star will be to the movie.

I know it wasn’t a critical darling, but I loved Rebel Without a Cage. Definitely worth a revisit.

As for the actual movie we’ll actually be seeing, director Simon McQuoid is back for round two. Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire) wrote the script. The film also stars Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Tati Gabrielle, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman, Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden, Joe Taslim as Bi-Han, and the great Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion.

Glitz. Glamour. Gore. And Johnny Freaking Cage. What else could we want from Mortal Kombat II? Actually seeing it. Round 2 will fight when it arrives in theaters on October 24, 2025.

This article first appeared on Nerdist and was syndicated with permission.

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