Mortal Kombat II has finally dropped its first trailer, and the internet is already throwing punches (and memes).
Featured VideoKarl Urban, fresh from The Boys, takes a swing at Johnny Cage, the arrogant action star-turned-reluctant hero, in this sequel to 2021’s Mortal Kombat. The trailer wastes no time embracing Cage’s washed-up persona. It opens with him brooding in a dive bar, where a fan praises his old movie, Citizen Cage. “They should do a reboot!” the fan says. Cage grumbles, “Nobody wants that,” setting the tone with classic Cage sarcasm.
Soon, Lord Raiden (Tadanobu Asano) and Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee) crash the scene to inform him that he’s been “chosen to fight.” Cage, predictably skeptical, assumes they’re obsessed fans.
AdvertisementBut before long, he’s pulled into the deadly tournament—and he’s not thrilled about it. “F*** that,” he says when confronted with the blood-soaked mayhem. Still, when Earth’s fate hangs in the balance, even Cage steps up. Well, reluctantly, and with a request not to mess up his face.
A nostalgic gore-fest with fan-favorite characters
The film reunites much of the 2021 cast, including Lewis Tan as Cole Young, Joe Taslim as Bi-Han, and Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion. Chin Han returns as the ever-menacing Shang Tsung. Meanwhile, newcomers like Adeline Rudolph (Kitana), Tati Gabrielle (Jade), and Martyn Ford (Shao Kahn) expand the blood-soaked roster.
Warner Bros. also leaned into the nostalgia with a hilarious fake trailer for Uncaged Fury, a faux 1990s Johnny Cage flick released a day before the real one.
AdvertisementFans were quick to spot references to other fake Cage titles like Hard to Cage and Rebel Without a Cage.
Reactions to the Mortal Kombat II trailer
Social media erupted as soon as the official trailer dropped.
Advertisementu/milestryhard posted on Reddit, “This looks so stupid, I cannot wait to watch it.”
“F*** I actually got pumped watching it, lmao. The Johnny Cage bit is so dumb but I like how they lean into it, ‘I’m just an actor’. I love the focus of this being straight up Mortal Kombat,” wrote u/Redxmirage.
AdvertisementMemes flooded X, particularly the scene where Cage tries to duck out of battle with, “I’m just incredibly handsome.”
Interestingly, this year marks the 30th anniversary of the first Mortal Kombat film, which bombed with critics but later achieved cult classic status. With Simon McQuoid returning to direct, and Warner Bros. backing the sequel, expectations are cautiously high.
AdvertisementMortal Kombat II is set to hit theaters on Oct 24, 2025.
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