Mortal Kombat Rebirth turns into a web series with Michael Jai White

When the MORTAL KOMBAT REBIRTH short hit last year in June, it put the internet in a tizzy. The short was directed by Kevin Tancharoen (FAME) in hopes for a movie deal. This version of the Mortal Kombat story tried to bring a more realistic approach to the characters. The lines were drawn between fans over whether or not this was a good idea.

As someone who has been playing this game since the beginning, I was cut down the middle. Visually it looked damn good and there were some fitting choices for the characters. Jeri Ryan played Sonya Blade and her superior/friend Jackson “Jax” Briggs was fittingly played by Michael Jai White. It took Baraka from a nomadic mutant (Tarkata) to a doctor turned serial killer. (Sorry, DO NOT WANT. Plus he kills Johnny Cage. Boo!) Oren Uziel who was rumored to be writing a third MORTAL KOMBAT movie did the scripting for this project.

For those of you who were looking forward to the possibility of a new film to come out of this have to settle for a web series instead. MK Rebirth will be returning as a 10-episode web series dedicated to the video game. Tancharoen is directing with himself, Todd Helbing, and Aaron Helbing writing. Shooting starts this February in Vancouver. Michael Jai White will return as Jax and other characters expected to show up are Shang Tsung, Liu Kang, Sub Zero, Durak, Kabal, Kitana, Mileena and Scorpion. Here’s what Bloody Disgusting offered up plot wise: “a few Earthlings will fight to save the planet from Shao Kahn and Shang Tsung, two Gods ruling over parallel universes, or something to that effect.” No release date was given.