Mortal Kombat II: All characters & lore explained

Get ready for the new Mortal Kombat II movie! Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know, including the characters and the story behind the film.

The latest trailer for Mortal Kombat II was revealed at IGN Fan Fest 2026. After a short delay, the new movie – a continuation of the rebooted series – will hit theaters on May 8, 2026. While the trailer didn’t reveal a lot of new information, it did offer a first look at some characters who weren’t featured in the initial trailer, plus a few other surprises.

This article provides a complete guide to the Mortal Kombat II movie, detailing how each character is expected to appear in the film compared to their role in the video games.

Previously in Mortal Kombat (2021)

The 2021 Mortal Kombat movie set the stage for the events of Mortal Kombat II. It introduced us to the characters – both well-known ones like Liu Kang and Raiden, and new faces like Cole Young. The film also revealed a key element of the story: fighters gaining unique abilities through something called ‘Arcana,’ which proved to be a bit controversial.

Okay, so Raiden and I managed to lead Earthrealm to victory against Outworld! It was a tough fight, and honestly, a lot of good (and bad!) guys fell. Kung Lao, Mileena, Nitara, Goro, Reiko, Sub-Zero, Kano, and even Reptile… they’re all gone. But don’t worry, some of them are coming back in Mortal Kombat II – I’ll fill you in on how shortly.

Mortal Kombat II movie storyline explained

The new movie continues the story right after the last one, focusing on the Mortal Kombat tournament. Outworld is about to win the tournament for the tenth time in a row, which would give them control of Earthrealm. To protect their world from being conquered, Earthrealm’s heroes must defeat Shao Kahn and his forces.

The new Mortal Kombat movie will reportedly have a traditional tournament, a departure from the first film where characters simply battled one another. The reboot will also introduce several new fighters, including Johnny Cage, Kitana, Jade, Quan Chi, Sindel, Baraka, and Noob Saibot – characters who weren’t in the 2021 movie.

All new character backstories in Mortal Kombat II explained

Johnny Cage, played by Karl Urban

This character is a former Hollywood star who’s past his prime, relying on memories of his former success. Raiden and Sonya Blade try to convince him to join the fight to defend Earthrealm in Mortal Kombat. From the trailers, it seems he struggles at first to understand and adapt to the larger world of the tournament. This version of Johnny Cage is also portrayed as being older than fans remember from the original Mortal Kombat games.

Kitana. played by Adeline Rudolph

Kitana is a princess from the realm of Edenia, and the daughter of King Jerrod and Queen Sindel. The story reveals that Shao Kahn murdered King Jerrod and then compelled Sindel to marry him, effectively making Kitana his stepdaughter. So far, the movie seems consistent with how Kitana is depicted in the video games. Initial information suggests that Kitana and Johnny Cage will be the central characters.

Shao Kahn, played by Martyn Ford

The Emperor of Outworld is the main villain in the movie. In the original games, his goal is always to win Mortal Kombat at all costs and conquer Earthrealm, and that remains his motivation in this film.

Jade, played by Tati Gabrielle

Jade is an Outworld assassin and close friend of Kitana. While her exact role in the movie isn’t clear yet, she’s featured in some fight scenes in the trailers, including one with Kitana herself. Interestingly, the movie portrays Jade with a shaved head, which is different from her appearance in the Mortal Kombat video games. This change has upset many fans of the series.

King Jerrod, played by Desmond Chiam

Okay, so I’ve been diving into the lore, and Jerrod is a seriously tragic character. He’s Kitana’s dad and Sindel’s husband – basically the king of Edenia, and things were peaceful there before Shao Kahn showed up and ruined everything. He and Sindel were ruling together, but Shao Kahn just barged in, killed Jerrod, and then merged Edenia with Outworld. I saw a trailer where he actually fights Shao Kahn, but honestly, he gets totally wrecked. It’s rough, man.

Baraka, played by CJ Bloomfield

Baraka is a fighter from the Tarkatan race, first appearing in Mortal Kombat II where he quickly became popular with fans. So far, trailers show him battling only Johnny Cage, and his overall role in the movie is still a mystery. Many fans have expressed disappointment with Baraka’s look in the film, noting that it differs significantly from how he appears in the games.

Sindel, played by Ana Thu Nguyen

Okay, so Queen Sindel is a really tragic character in the Mortal Kombat universe. She was originally the queen of Edenia, married to King Jerrod, and Kitana’s mom. But then Shao Kahn killed Jerrod and forced her to marry him. The worst part? He brainwashed her, turning her into this super creepy villain – you instantly recognize her by her long hair and terrifying scream. I remember seeing her fight Sonya Blade a lot in the early trailers, and it was pretty intense!

Quan Chi, played by Damon Herriman

Quan Chi is a powerful sorcerer and master of the dead from the realm of the Netherrealm – essentially, hell – in the Mortal Kombat world. Like Shang Tsung, he’s a formidable magical opponent. He’s briefly seen in a recent trailer seemingly bringing back Kung Lao and possibly Kano from the dead, but his larger plans remain a mystery.

All returning character backstories explained

Liu Kang, played by Ludi Lin

Liu Kang is the main hero of the early Mortal Kombat games. He beat both Shang Tsung and Shao Kahn twice in the first three titles and is expected to be a key character in Mortal Kombat II. In the 2021 movie, he saw his friend and fellow Shaolin monk, Kung Lao, killed, and then defeated the Outworld fighter Kabal.

Kung Lao, played by Max Huang

Liu Kang’s friend and fellow Shaolin monk was known for both his incredible fighting skills and quick humor. He was unexpectedly killed in the 2021 Mortal Kombat game when Shang Tsung took his soul, shortly after he impressively defeated Nitara with his hat. He returns in Mortal Kombat II as a ‘revenant’ – a character brought back from the dead, a common theme in recent Mortal Kombat games. Quan Chi is responsible for bringing him back, and now he fights for the realm of Outworld.

Raiden, played by Tadanobu Asano

In the Mortal Kombat movies, Raiden is a powerful god who previously acted as a mentor. This time, he’s joining the battle directly as a fighter for Earthrealm, wearing his classic look from the original Mortal Kombat II game. The latest trailer shows him teaming up with Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade to confront Shang Tsung.

Shang Tsung, played by Chin Han

This sorcerer from Outworld was the main villain in the 2021 movie. After being defeated by Earthrealm, Raiden sends him back to Outworld, where he teams up with Shao Kahn to get ready for the Mortal Kombat tournament. He’s shown fighting Raiden in the trailer, but his other actions in the film are currently a mystery.

Cole Young. played by Lewis Tan

Cole Young is a new character introduced to the Mortal Kombat series, and he was the central character in the 2021 movie. However, fans didn’t react positively to him, and it looks like he’ll have a smaller part in Mortal Kombat II. He fights using tonfas and has the ability to summon golden armor that protects him from attacks.

Hanzo Hasashi / Scorpion, played by Hiroyuki Sanada

This character is one of the two most recognizable faces of the Mortal Kombat series. The first film explored his origins as Hanzo Hasashi, before he became the vengeful spirit known as Scorpion. After killing Sub-Zero at the end of the 2021 movie, he now seems to be fighting on the side of Earthrealm in the upcoming Mortal Kombat II.

Bi-Han / Sub-Zero / Noob Saibot, played by Joe Taslim

Bi-Han is one of the most iconic characters in Mortal Kombat. In the 2021 film, he acted as the antagonist, first wiping out Hanzo Hasashi’s clan, the Shirai Ryu, and then killing Hasashi. Though he fought for Outworld, Scorpion ultimately defeated and killed him, ending the events of the 2021 Mortal Kombat movie.

He reappears in Mortal Kombat II as Noob Saibot, a shadowy wraith. His look in this game is based on his design from Mortal Kombat 11.

Sonya Blade, played by Jessica McNamee

This soldier is a member of Earthrealm’s Special Forces. Though initially left out of the Mortal Kombat tournament in the last movie, she ultimately defeated Kano and took his Arcana. She then killed Mileena before the film ended. In Mortal Kombat II, she fights alongside Liu Kang and Sindel against Shao Kahn at different times.

Jax, played by Mehcad Brooks

Jax is a Special Forces fighter with powerful bionic arms. He lost his original arms in a previous battle against Sub-Zero, and initially received weaker replacements. He later gained his advanced bionic arms by unlocking his Arcana. In the 2021 Mortal Kombat film, Jax defeated Reiko, and he’s back in Mortal Kombat II to defend Earthrealm.

Kano, played by Josh Lawson

Many fans consider this character the highlight of the 2021 Mortal Kombat movie. He brings excellent comedic timing, providing some much-needed humor. Even though Sonya killed him in the previous film, he’s back – seemingly as a resurrected warrior – and appears fighting with Earthrealm’s heroes in the trailers. He’s skilled with knives and has a powerful laser eye.

We don’t yet know if any other actors will be in the movie, or if the filmmakers are intentionally keeping some details secret. However, we anticipate seeing several more trailers before Mortal Kombat II comes out on May 8, 2026.

2026-02-26 20:44