The Big Picture
- Producer Todd Garner teases the return of Scorpion in the upcoming sequel to the 2021 live-action Mortal Kombat film.
- The first film stayed true to the video games with impressive effects, costumes, dialogue, and kills, building anticipation for the sequel.
- While actor Hiroyuki Sanada had previously suggested he might not return, the presence of Scorpion’s weapon in the set image hints at his comeback.
We are in the age of live-action adaptations of iconic video games, with a number of these projects attracting new audiences to what were already impressive franchises in their own right. In 2021, Warner Bros. opted for a live-action of the iconic video game, Mortal Kombat. After an impressive showing, a sequel was mapped out. However, after previously having production paused due to the film industry strikes that halted Hollywood, filming on Mortal Kombat 2 is currently underway and producer Todd Garner has shared first-look images that teases the return of Hanzo Hasashi.
While historically, video game adaptations have not lived up to expectations, the work done in the 2021 film stayed true to the video games. From stellar movie effects and costumes, to the gripping dialogue and brutal kills, the film excelled. Now with production ongoing on the sequel, producer Garner has taken to X (formerly Twitter) sharing various set images teasing what’s to come in Mortal Kombat 2. One of the producer’s recent post features the famous kunai, the weapon of choice for Hanzon Hasashi aka Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada). While the image itself does not include any other characters aside the iconic weapon, the presence of the kunai points to the return of Scorpion for the sequel.
In 2021’s Mortal Kombat, Scorpion and his nemesis, Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim) were engaged in an epic confrontation, one that did not come to a final conclusion. Audiences would have speculated that perhaps it was a match up that would be revisited in the sequel. However, Sanada had previously suggested that he and Scorpion might not return in the sequel. Earlier in the year, when asked if he would be returning, Sanada answered with a cryptic, “I hope so.” Nevertheless, the actor made it clear that he would be open to return, and donning the mask while getting “to say ‘Get over here!’ again.”
The Premise for ‘Mortal Kombat 2’
The original movie follows a descendant of Scorpion, Cole Young (Lewis Tan), who – by virtue of his lineage and a unique birthmark – has been selected to represent Earthrealm in the Mortal Kombat tournament. A several-hundred-year-old tradition, Mortal Kombat pits Earthrealm’s finest fighters against the best from Outworld. With the price being protection for Earthrealm in the event of victory, and the right to invade for Outworld should they prevail. While Earthrealm prevailed and Outworld’s Sub-Zero floored, there is a prospect of a rematch with the re-emergence of Hanzo’s arch nemesis as the undead revenant Noob Saibot. Waking up the dead is a common occurrence in the world of Mortal Kombat.
While Sanada is one of the likely faces to return for the sequel, Mortal Kombat 2 should feature some new faces including The Boys very own Karl Urban. Other new faces include Tati Gabrielle as Jade, Adeline Rudolph as Princess Kitana, CJ. Bloomfield as Baraka, and Ana Thu Nguyen as Sindel.
Check out the sneak peek below:
