Mortal Kombat Movie Release Date: April 16, 2021

After lots of rumoring, various delays, and years' worth of hopes and expectations, the time is finally upon us -- the upcoming Mortal Kombat movie has a release date: April 16, 2021.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1338620851483156483

The producer, Todd Garner of Broken Road Productions, tweeted the date on Monday afternoon, along with a note to expect a trailer early in 2021. Release is set for both theatres and HBO MAX.

 

I’m not that hyped, since every single release since the 1st movie have been god awful in terms of characters’ looks, use of lore and just felt like Boon hasn’t been invested in and or part of, which him and Tobias were for the first one.

That being said, I am definitely looking forward to seeing the trailer, which I feel will either blow us away and show of lof of things they've managed to keep under wraps or just look like another Legacy / Annihilation. As far as the cast, to say these actors are D list or whatever is just not true. Plenty of solid names including one or two pretty big ones like Horiyuki Sanada, Chin Han and Lewis Tan. These are not unknown names. The first MK movie had Lambert as the star and Cary-Tagawa. That in itself didn’t make or break the movie, though they were fantastic.

What worries me most is again the look, I fear low budget, and use of lore. The latter ties in with the characters and who will we get to see. A reboot with 90% MK1-2 characters like the 1st movie is just not exciting to me. It needs to separate itself somehow. By choosing to just go with Mortal Kombat or even Reboot, not sure if that is part of the official title now, I fear it will just be a re-telling of the 10th tournament and somehow mix in a new character as a hero of some sorts. That itself is already a mistake, if Cole Turner does turn out to be a big deal.

The first movie had Earth, Outworld and Shang Tsung's Island. This time I'd definitely want to see at least Edenia and the Netherrealm. I understand Chaos and Order or any of the smaller ones need to be part of it, though wouldn't mind if Greg Russo did his homework and gave us little nuggets and some small glimpse into worlds we've yet to see fully explored in game. Edenia is the biggest one of course and with Mileena in, I really hope to see a more fleshed out story around her and Kitana, maybe even Jade, Sindel and Rain.

As far as other characters go, I hope for some story depth for characters like Kabal, Nightwolf and Fujin if they appear. Quan Chi I really hope will be part of it as well, to have that interaction with Shang and the whole backstory of Scorpion and his ruling of the Netherrealm. Shao Kahn & Shinnok should just be vague like Shao was in the 1st movie, mentioning his name as a big threat but never really giving him a humanlike form. Personally I'd love a Kai appearance as well, but out of the following I'd love to see more than 1 with a serious bad ass look: Goro, Baraka, Reptile and Kintaro. Of the 3d era, Nitara, Ashrah and somehow Havik would just be the ultimate. He could just be given the role of trying to disrupt the whole show.

A safe guess would be that outside of Nitara we won't see many characters post MK3 and as I mentioned, the story will probably be straight forward: a tournament with Shang, Shao Kahn as the big bad behind the scenes or maybe even in the flesh, Goro perhaps and then the MK1 cast with some others like Mileena and Nitara. To me it's a big mistake to go the reboot route this way, since it can never overtake the first and if it just explored another part of the lore and later games for sure it would a story that could stand on its own. Now you will always have comparisons and that's just a very risky one to take, though I am happy they are going back to the roots somehow and not try to include anything NRS has done so no chance of silly time travels and D'Vorah killing everyone. Let's wait and see, but definitely let's not act like it's all bad, with a horrible cast and doomed to fail already.

Give me a Dragon King reference and or somehow the actual dragon involved in a way then I'd be over the moon. I don't care if it's lore or not, as long as they make it look awesome and give it a great backstory as to its involvement.

 

Really haven't followed movie stuff at all, so I could be totally off-base with this, but I'm currently in the camp of, "Temper your expectations, folks. Set a low bar and hope to be pleasantly surprised."

Definitely agree with the comment that this will probably be in the mold of a WB superhero film. It's a popular genre right now, and there's a formula that (more or less) works. I don't expect anything groundbreaking.

Hate to say it, but it won't be made to satisfy hardcore MK fans. One: You're already a captive audience. They know you'll watch it; even if others pan it, you won't be able to resist the urge to see it for yourself (even if just to join in the panning). Two: They know you'll be the biggest critics. You'll pick apart every detail. There's almost no way it could ever be good enough to make hardcore fans happy. So I kinda doubt they'll try.

It's going to be a mass market film. They want to appeal to people who like the genre but don't necessarily know a lot about MK--i.e., people who have probably never bought MK merchandise or even necessarily played the games, but might after they see the movie.

So I wouldn't expect an intricate plot diving deep into lore and involving obscure characters that have no pop culture presence. It will be kind of shallow, focused mostly on steering recognizable characters into one "superhero-y" type of big confrontation after another, so they can look cool fighting it out and dropping one-liners. Keep the spandex; just trade capes for ninja masks.

It could totally still be fun to watch. If you like the (well-known) characters and can be happy seeing them fight live with lots of modern CG to help, and don't demand a lot from the plot, it seems worth checking out.

 

Hero movie? Yeah I don’t see that happening. If they do turn it into that then they will have missed their mark. And I highly doubt anyone outside of MK fans, 90s fans, recent gamers etc care about this project. Reportedly Reiko and Nitara are in it so there’s some hope for lore depth. And it’s reportedly very gory, fatality like gruesome, which doesn’t appeal to generic Avengers / Marvel type movie buffs.

 

@Obly
Knows what's up.

 

Hmmm....how likely is it that character info will be handled kinda like that Suicide Squad movie?

 

Not a chance!

 

And it’s reportedly very gory, fatality like gruesome, which doesn’t appeal to generic Avengers / Marvel type movie buffs.

I don't expect it to be family-friendly, may even be R-rated, but ultra graphic gory violence? I'm kind of skeptical about that.

Yeah MK is "violent", but it doesn't present violence seriously. It's there for dark humor; it's wild, over-the-top, and deliberately unrealistic. Works fine in the game, but do that kind of stuff to live actors and it will be truly nauseating.

So why do it? You'd be driving away tons of people who might otherwise check out the movie, way more than the small number of ultra-gore fans you might bring in. That's a lousy marketing strategy. No matter what else might be true, commercial studios are in it to make money, which means they want more butts in the seats. They're not going to green-light a movie only a few people have the stomach to watch.

I'd totally believe the movie might have a lot of stylized violence in it though. Not particularly realistic, not overly gory... just weaved into the art direction for dramatic effect. The movie 300 comes to mind... or something that's honestly closer to true MK style might be Kill Bill. This kind of movie would have much wider appeal and more likely to get the green light.

 

I don't expect it to be family-friendly, may even be R-rated, but ultra graphic gory violence? I'm kind of skeptical about that.

Yeah MK is "violent", but it doesn't present violence seriously. It's there for dark humor; it's wild, over-the-top, and deliberately unrealistic. Works fine in the game, but do that kind of stuff to live actors and it will be truly nauseating.

So why do it? You'd be driving away tons of people who might otherwise check out the movie, way more than the small number of ultra-gore fans you might bring in. That's a lousy marketing strategy. No matter what else might be true, commercial studios are in it to make money, which means they want more butts in the seats. They're not going to green-light a movie only a few people have the stomach to watch.

I'd totally believe the movie might have a lot of stylized violence in it though. Not particularly realistic, not overly gory... just weaved into the art direction for dramatic effect. The movie 300 comes to mind... or something that's honestly closer to true MK style might be Kill Bill. This kind of movie would have much wider appeal and more likely to get the green light.

I think they specifically mentioned we are going to see some Fatalities in this movie (that we will recognise).

 

I think they specifically mentioned we are going to see some Fatalities in this movie (that we will recognise).

That's fine--I mean, people die in crazy, flashy ways in movies all the time. But there are certainly ways to do it so the fatality is recognizable but not necessarily ultra-gory and gruesome. Studios know a lot about what viewers will tolerate and what they won't. I just don't see this being a movie that's going to try be edgy and push the limits in that way.

 

That's fine--I mean, people die in crazy, flashy ways in movies all the time. But there are certainly ways to do it so the fatality is recognizable but not necessarily ultra-gory and gruesome. Studios know a lot about what viewers will tolerate and what they won't. I just don't see this being a movie that's going to try be edgy and push the limits in that way.

I disagree, I think the new animated movie showed they are willing to push it to the max with X-Ray and lots of blood. It might be the way to really separate this movie from the OG one. Not necessarily my preference, but if it's between this and a Marvel Avengers type deal where Scorpion And Sub-Zero just have a ninja suit and kick peoples asses, then I'd rather have gory.

 

Well the test screenings are tomorrow, so guess we'll hear the first feedback of the current cut within the next 24 hours. Are any of you near Arizona going?

1iota - Free Tickets for Fans

1iota.com

 

Well the test screenings are tomorrow, so guess we'll hear the first feedback of the current cut within the next 24 hours. Are any of you near Arizona going?

1iota - Free Tickets for Fans

1iota.com

Great!!

 

Fatality-wise, probably something on the level of MK1 rather than MK11.

So, like, Kanooooooooooo



And that was PG back in the day

 

I disagree, I think the new animated movie showed they are willing to push it to the max with X-Ray and lots of blood. It might be the way to really separate this movie from the OG one. Not necessarily my preference, but if it's between this and a Marvel Avengers type deal where Scorpion And Sub-Zero just have a ninja suit and kick peoples asses, then I'd rather have gory.

There's a huge difference in what you can get away with in an animated movie vs. live action. Plus that was a different studio and it was also direct to video; they were clearly fine with making something "for the fans." This is a major studio and a cinematic release; it's going to take more than MK fans buying tickets to turn a profit.

Truly not trying to be a killjoy here, but I think you may be overestimating the extent to which the folks making the movie (or at least the ones controlling the purse strings) care about "separating this movie from the OG one." They're already separated by 25 years of technology advancement. This one will be at least somewhat more violent (how much remains to be seen). Otherwise, why change the formula? If the superhero movies have shown us anything, it's that people will pay to see the "origin story" re-told over and over.

I don't mind being proven wrong about any of this... sometimes good surprises happen.

 

As long as it’s not like MK Legacy or Annihilation it should be entertaining. Let’s hope good buzz will come out of the screening.

 

Hmmm....how likely is it that character info will be handled kinda like that Suicide Squad movie?

"This is Kitana"

 

I'll probably cringe at this post tomorrow but I'm drunk and where I live is back in lockdown as of Monday so I don't care.

I'm looking forward to the new MK movie and want it to be good, I don't expect it to be, but I'd like to be, because I've had a really rotten couple of years and I'd sunk to a really really bad place. I won't go into details, but I've just started getting myself out of it, it's been two months of quitting alcohol (other than weekends), getting myself mentally and physically back into shape after being in the darkest place I'd ever been... and having something like a silly new MK movie makes me smile and makes me feel like a kid again. I want it to be fun, I want it to make tap my foot to great music complimenting incredible martial arts like the Threshold MK productions of the 90s made me do when I was a teenager with their awesome soundtrack albums and that's all that mattered in life.

My only assumed stance on the new film is; I doubt it'll ever affect me musically like the 90s productions did. Do you have any idea how many bands MK The Album, MK95, More Kombat and MKA's soundtrack CDs got me into between the ages of 12 and 15? That incredible mix of industrial, electronica, dance, post-punk and metal bands they opened my mind to are incomparable. Everything from Orbital, Juno Reactor, Psykosonik, Lords of Acid and KMFDM to Napalm Death, Killing Joke, Type O Negative, Fear Factory and Sepultura. It was a different era for music experimentation, that glorious mid-90s cauldron of genre-fusion; death metal, punk, ambient, techno, industrial, trance, goth, thrash; everything married together in a majestic mix of alternative counter-culture blended with a game that fused ancient fantasy and science fiction with a feeling that its developers were one with the fans that connected with me perfectly. Those MK CD's from the 90s blew my my mind and my ears and laid a ridiculous foundation to the person I am today. I'll be 39 in March, but I can still listen to 'Can't Happen Here' by Stabbing Westward when riled up and it still hits me with the same thundering tribal intensity that it did as an adolescent in the 95 movie, and was heartbroken that "that tribal metal song" wasn't on the soundtrack until my Canadian friend from school advised me that I needed to buy SW's Ungod album for "those other MK tracks" I'd been missing out on.

I just hope that even 1/10th of that amount of effort is put into the new film's soundtrack as it was into the 90s films (for as shit as Annihilation was, that soundtrack had some brilliant tracks that felt like it was truly catering to 90's alternative music culture). Hopefully I'm not alone on this, but in the 90s when MK was at its height, one of the biggest aspects of MK for me was its music, it felt like it was truly in touch with me in a way that little other pop culture media felt like it was. I'd love to feel that again, but doubt I ever will.

 

Do you guys think this will still get a Blu-ray release, after a few months, what with it being on hbo Max?

 

I'll probably cringe at this post tomorrow but I'm drunk and where I live is back in lockdown as of Monday so I don't care.

I'm looking forward to the new MK movie and want it to be good, I don't expect it to be, but I'd like to be, because I've had a really rotten couple of years and I'd sunk to a really really bad place. I won't go into details, but I've just started getting myself out of it, it's been two months of quitting alcohol (other than weekends), getting myself mentally and physically back into shape after being in the darkest place I'd ever been... and having something like a silly new MK movie makes me smile and makes me feel like a kid again. I want it to be fun, I want it to make tap my foot to great music complimenting incredible martial arts like the Threshold MK productions of the 90s made me do when I was a teenager with their awesome soundtrack albums and that's all that mattered in life.

My only assumed stance on the new film is; I doubt it'll ever affect me musically like the 90s productions did. Do you have any idea how many bands MK The Album, MK95, More Kombat and MKA's soundtrack CDs got me into between the ages of 12 and 15? That incredible mix of industrial, electronica, dance, post-punk and metal bands they opened my mind to are incomparable. Everything from Orbital, Juno Reactor, Lords of Acid and Gudrun Gut to Napalm Death, Killing Joke, Fear Factory and Sepultura. It was a different era for music experimentation, that glorious mid-90s cauldron of genre-fusion; death metal, punk, ambient, techno, industrial, trance, goth, thrash; everything married together in a majestic mix of alternative counter-culture blended with a game that fused ancient fantasy and science fiction with a feeling that its developers were one with the fans that connected with me perfectly. Those MK CD's from the 90s blew my my mind and my ears and laid a ridiculous foundation to the person I am today. I'll be 39 in March, but I can still listen to 'Can't Happen Here' by Stabbing Westward when riled up and it still hits me with the same thundering tribal intensity that it did as an adolescent in the 95 movie, and was heartbroken that "that tribal metal song" wasn't on the soundtrack until my Canadian friend from school advised me that I needed to buy SW's Ungod album for "those other MK tracks" I'd been missing out on.

I just hope that even 1/10th of that amount of effort is put into the new film's soundtrack as it was into the 90s films (for as shit as Annihilation was, that soundtrack had some brilliant tracks that felt like it was truly catering to 90's alternative music culture). Hopefully I'm not alone on this, but in the 90s when MK was at its height, one of the biggest aspects of MK for me was its music, it felt like it was truly in touch with me in a way that little other pop culture media felt like it was. I'd love to feel that again, but doubt I ever will.

I feel this man, it's been a rotten couple of months, a rotten year. I am so sick of having the stories I love and many grew up with ruined by cooperate suits and hack writers without a hint of imagination in their body. So many franchises stories have gone down the drain with little hope for a return to form, and MK is no exception. Star wars, Mass Effect, Game of Thrones, the list goes on. It seems that no one is interested in making anything for the sake of creating something new or fun anymore, it's all just marketing, and nostalgia bating and money money money. Like god you can't take that shit to the grave with you. I mean what's worth more than creating something that people actually enjoy and can show their friends and bond and for kids to grow up with, with awe and wonder in their eyes like you and me with the original games and movie, the soundtrack, the martial arts what have you. I don't want to get your hopes up to have them dashed in an already shitty year but I do remember the Realm Kast podcast did a video with a producer that works on the movie and I think he said the OG track will be in the film, so it has that at least.

I just hope this movie can give you and many others what they want out of it, and something positive to possibly start the new year with if we end up getting a trailer in January. I sincerely want you continue to succeed in beating back your demons and getting yourself together and I hope that this movie provides you with a soundtrack that lets you close your eyes and become the kid you used to be for at least a little while, to relive the moments that brought you joy.
I hope it can do that for every fan.

 

I feel this man, it's been a rotten couple of months, a rotten year. I am so sick of having the stories I love and many grew up with ruined by cooperate suits and hack writers without a hint of imagination in their body. So many franchises stories have gone down the drain with little hope for a return to form, and MK is no exception. Star wars, Mass Effect, Game of Thrones, the list goes on. It seems that no one is interested in making anything for the sake of creating something new or fun anymore, it's all just marketing, and nostalgia bating and money money money. Like god you can't take that shit to the grave with you. I mean what's worth more than creating something that people actually enjoy and can show their friends and bond and for kids to grow up with, with awe and wonder in their eyes like you and me with the original games and movie, the soundtrack, the martial arts what have you. I don't want to get your hopes up to have them dashed in an already shitty year but I do remember the Realm Kast podcast did a video with a producer that works on the movie and I think he said the OG track will be in the film, so it has that at least.

I just hope this movie can give you and many others what they want out of it, and something positive to possibly start the new year with if we end up getting a trailer in January. I sincerely want you continue to succeed in beating back your demons and getting yourself together and I hope that this movie provides you with a soundtrack that lets you close your eyes and become the kid you used to be for at least a little while, to relive the moments that brought you joy.
I hope it can do that for every fan.

I wouldn't go that negative, there's the occasional new type of movie / story / direction that they go in, but mainstream has largely been about marketing and $$$ for companies. It's a lot tougher these days to try something new, so much has been done and we're in the age of throwbacks. It's brought a lot franchises back into the fore, even with the actual movies or series being god awful, so if you view that as negative since creatively it's lazy than that's your choice. However, if it weren't for production companies bringing all of our beloved 80s and 90s franchises back, there would be no new MK movie.

From everything I've read and heard it seems the writer Greg Russo is very passionate about Mortal Kombat so that's one of the things that keeps me positive. Then looking at the producers James Wan and Todd Garner, it's an interesting mix of one who did a lot of horror movies and recently Aquaman with one who has mainly done comedies. They will oversee the project as I understand it, so probably doesn't say much other then the way they have edited, used the script etc. it might bring out comedy, action and gore in a certain way. At least these are established men in the industry. The director however is new, as in it is his first big production, so that is risky and does not put me at ease.

The OG song is in by the Immortals, remade actually so that's awesome. There's going to be some serious nostalgia serving in this judging from everything we do actually know. Then again, the reason why so many of these projects flopped I believe is because the creators have not been involved. I don't know what their role was for the original, but since it turned out to be amazing, I'd like to believe they had some direct influence in decisions made. Casting was amazing and there's some serious potential here. I love Hiroyuki Sanada, though mainly due to his Japanese voice and his acting is really on a level of Tagawa, with the same mystery like expressions. That could work well for Scorpion, though Shang Tsung with an artificial beard I would've loved too.

All in all, whichever way you look at it, from writer to producer, from leaks to confirmed actors and characters it's not exactly clear what we can expect. The question is to what degree will they stay true to the lore, original movie and games? Will we get the same 9th tournaments won and now a final one? What role does Cole Turner play? How will a fresh director work out? Which direction have they taken this movie, more hero Marvel universe generic type or heavily steeped in MK atmosphere so very dark and edgy. A lot remains to be seen, tonight or tomorrow the first impressions will start to come out and I cannot wait.

I cannot imagine it would flop as hard as Legacy & Annihilation, so should be entertaining at least, but hoping it can really be it's own movie with a lot of cameos - which I think was claimed by Greg Russo - and lore from the MK4-Deception era. Bring it on!!

 

Hopefully Liu Kang actually beats Goro for once ffs.

 

Hopefully Liu Kang actually beats Goro for once ffs.

I want Goro to not be beat, Johnny Cage beat him way too easily. I get that the nut punch did a lot, but he should've at least did some damage to a main character. Maybe Goro should lose and have two arms cut or something so he's severely hurt, but Shang stepping in to not let him get killed would really be lovely.

 

Hopefully Liu Kang actually beats Goro for once ffs.

Tired of a lot of these characters looking like absolute jokes all the time, nrs doesn't really like their characters im convinced

 

Still no news...

 

Still no news...

Earliest showings are I believe approx. 4pm in Arizona, so that’s another 3 hours away, then 90 mins to 2 hours to sit through it, so we’ll probably get the first feedback in around 5-6 hours time I expect?