Mortal Kombat II Runtime: Has It Finally Been Confirmed?

Here‘s a little update for those of you keeping tabs on Mortal Kombat II (and if you watched the 2021 movie, you know we were seriously overdue for a real-deal tournament). We finally have some actual numbers, casting updates, and a peek at how Karl Urban is handling Johnny Cage—probably the only martial arts hero to ever wear sunglasses out of pure ego.

The Long Wait (and That Johnny Cage Tease)

If you remember, the last Mortal Kombat flick ended with a not-so-subtle hint that Johnny Cage would appear next time—even though no one had actually been cast yet. Fast forward past the original plan to release the sequel last fall (typical franchise delay alert: Warner Bros. wanted a summer tentpole instead), and now we‘re looking at a May 8 premiere for the next round of very bloody, very supernatural fighting.

How Long Will This Thing Be?

According to IMDb‘s most recent update, Mortal Kombat II clocks in at 1 hour and 56 minutes. So, just under two hours. These days, most franchise movies like to crack the 2-hour mark, sometimes for no real reason, so this actually feels surprisingly lean. Take that as you will.

Here‘s Who You‘ll See (or Hear Get Their Spine Ripped Out)

If you had favorites in the last movie, most of them are back, and they‘ve stacked the lineup with some new blood that should actually matter to fans. Here‘s the main cast breakdown:

• Lewis Tan returns as Cole Young (the MMA guy invented just for the new movies),
• Ludi Lin as Liu Kang,
• Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade,
• Josh Lawson as Kano,
• Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden,
• Mehcad Brooks as Jax,
• Chin Han as Shang Tsung,
• Joe Taslim as Bi-Han/Sub-Zero,
• Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion,
• Max Huang as Kung Lao.
• And among the new recruits, Karl Urban (Dredd) as Johnny Cage,
• Adeline Rudolph (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) as Kitana,
• Tati Gabrielle (You) as Jade,
• Damon Herriman (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) as Quan Chi,
• Martyn Ford (F9) as Shao Kahn,
• Ana Thu Nguyen (Suka) as Queen Sindel,
• Desmond Chiam (Joy Ride) as King Jerrod (yes, the doomed king married to Sindel before everything went south for Edenia).

So, a lot of major Mortal Kombat lore getting smashed together in this one. Classic roster, but also some deep-cut characters for the fans who know the difference between Outworld and Edenia.

Buckle Up for an R Rating

No shocker here, but the rating is R for, as the official language puts it, ‘strong bloody violence and gore, and language.’ In other words, it‘s Mortal Kombat, not your grandma‘s fighting movie. (Unless your grandma is horrifyingly into fatalities.)

Karl Urban Gets Honest about Johnny Cage

Now, about Johnny Cage. Karl Urban actually sounds like he‘s sweating this role, admitting it‘s the most physically demanding job he‘s ever had. According to Urban, nailing the specific martial arts styles and keeping up the right form was a serious ask. He didn‘t just watch old movies—he showed up to real karate tournaments to get a feel for what Cage might have grown up with.

'I asked for a heavy-action content movie, and for my sins, they gave me one. It was the most challenging role that I‘ve ever undertaken in my career. It‘s the martial arts. The form and the style of martial arts is so specific, and the choreography, at times, is so definitive in its movement, and there‘s a precision of execution for it to look good. It was a huge challenge. ... As part of my research, I went to karate tournaments and looked at the younger generation of martial artists coming through to see what it was like growing up in that environment, as I imagine Johnny Cage had done when he was a kid.'

So, if you worried that Urban would just phone it in (or, you know, only throw punches that work with sunglasses on), it sounds like he‘s actually putting in the work.

Bottom line: Mortal Kombat II finally gets its shot at the actual tournament, brings in Johnny Cage for real this time, and seems to keep things brisk by franchise standards. On May 8, get ready for blood, fists, and at least a few deaths that would make a Nintendo executive faint.