Mortal Kombat reboot: footage revealed, official plot synopsis released

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

The new cinematic adaptation of the Mortal Kombat video game franchise is set to reach theatres and the HBO Max streaming service on April 16th. With that date just a few months away, and with the first batch of images from the film having been released online last Friday, we should be seeing a trailer for Mortal Kombat any time now. While we wait for the trailer, some quick glimpses of footage have shown up in the new HBO Max promo you can see embedded above.

A plot synopsis has also been released online, and it goes like this: 

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 cast includes Lewis Tan as Cole Young, Chin Han as Shang Tsung, Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero, Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, Mehcad Brooks as Jax, Tadanobu Asano as Raiden, Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Max Huang as Kung Lao, Josh Lawson as Kano, Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion, Sisi Stringer as Mileena, Elissa Cadwell as Nitara, and Daniel Nelson as Kabal.

James Wan produced Mortal Kombat with Todd Garner. Larry Kasanoff, E. Bennett Walsh, Michael Clear, and Sean Robins serve as executive producers.  The film was directed by Simon McQuoid, working from a screenplay by Dave Callaham and Greg Russo (who also receives story credit with Oren Uziel).

With the release date getting close, I'm starting to get excited to see how this version of Mortal Kombat has turned out.