A new challenger has appeared! Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema have unleashed a new poster for Mortal Kombat that gives us our first great look at Kabal. Before now, Kabal has only appeared briefly in the official Mortal Kombat trailer, but even then, his back is turned toward the camera. Truth be told, I saw Kabal when I visited the set of Mortal Kombat back in November 2019. He appeared on a nearby monitor and looked to be fighting his way out of an underground tunnel. Later in the visit, I spotted Kabal actor Daniel Nelson out of costume and practicing moves with his hook swords. Kabal has been one of my favorite characters since he was first introduced in Mortal Kombat 3, so you can imagine my excitement when I discovered that he's in the film.
The new poster features more than our best look yet at Kabal. It also has (from left to right) Cole Young (Lewis Tan), Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), Major Jackson 'Jax' Briggs (Mechad Brooks), Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada), Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim), Shang Tsung (Chin Han), and Mileena (Sisi Stringer) all striking a pose for the stylish promo. I still can't get over how badass everyone looks. My excitement level for this movie is through the damn roof.
Be sure to get your fill of every character featured in the upcoming film because plenty of them won't live to see a sequel.
In Mortal Kombat, MMA fighter Cole Young, accustomed to taking a beating for money, is unaware of his heritage—or why Outworld’s Emperor Shang Tsung has sent his best warrior, Sub-Zero, an otherworldly Cryomancer, to hunt Cole down. Fearing for his family’s safety, Cole goes in search of Sonya Blade at the direction of Jax, a Special Forces Major who bears the same strange dragon marking Cole was born with. Soon, he finds himself at the temple of Lord Raiden, an Elder God and the protector of Earthrealm, who grants sanctuary to those who bear the mark. Here, Cole trains with experienced warriors Liu Kang, Kung Lao, and rogue mercenary Kano, as he prepares to stand with Earth’s greatest champions against the enemies of Outworld in a high-stakes battle for the universe. But will Cole be pushed hard enough to unlock his arcana—the immense power from within his soul—in time to save not only his family but to stop Outworld once and for all?
The film is helmed by award-winning Australian commercial filmmaker Simon McQuoid, marking his feature directorial debut, and produced by James Wan (The Conjuring universe films, Aquaman), Todd Garner (Into the Storm, Tag), McQuoid, and E. Bennett Walsh (Men in Black: International, The Amazing Spider-Man 2).
Several more characters that appear in the film have yet to be revealed, so be sure to stay close as more promotional materials roll out. Meanwhile, Mortal Kombat will premiere in theaters and on HBO Max on April 16, 2021.