Jean-Claude Van Damme to be featured in new Mortal Kombat game

It has been three decades in the making, but Jean-Claude Van Damme will finally be appearing in the Mortal Kombat franchise, as series staple Johnny Cage will get a skin based on the Muscles from Brussels.

As per the official Mortal Kombat 1 website, the game’s Kombat Pack expansion will feature “a Johnny Cage character skin with the likeness of famed actor and martial artist, Jean-Claude Van Damme (available at launch).” And yes, pre-orders are now live for those who want to experience JCVD do a split and punch Shang Tsung in the groin.

The upcoming Mortal Kombat game including Jean-Claude Van Damme is a full circle moment for both the series and the actor, as creators Ed Boon and John Tobias were partly inspired by 1988’s Bloodsport, with Johnny Cage being modeled directly after Frank Dux. Midway’s plan was actually to base the game around JCVD but couldn’t get him to sign on.

In addition to the Van Damme-featuring Kombat Pack housed in the Premium Edition, Mortal Kombat 1 will also have a Standard and Kollector’s Edition, with prices set at $109.99, $69.99 and $249.99. Other key returning Mortal Kombat characters include Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Raiden, and Liu Kang, a 16.5” statue of whom is included in the Kollector’s Edition. The game arrives on September 19th.

Whether you’re playing as Johnny Cage as Jean-Claude Van Damme or not, Mortal Kombat 1 is looking to be one of the most innovative games in the entire series, as it “will introduce a reborn Mortal Kombat Universe that has been created by the Fire God Liu Kang, featuring reimagined versions of iconic characters as they’ve never been seen before, along with a new fighting system, game modes, bone krushing finishing moves, and more.”

While the actor/martial artist ended up playing Guile in the 1994 Street Fighter movie, Linden Ashby was cast as Johnny Cage in the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie. Karl Urban is reportedly the frontrunner to play Cage in the upcoming sequel.

Are you looking forward to the appearance of Jean-Claude Van Damme in the upcoming Mortal Kombat? Would it push you to pick up the game? Give us your thoughts below!