If you're wondering why there's a sudden chill in the air, it's because THE RAID actor and martial artist Joe Taslim has been cast as the ice wielding warrior, Sub-Zero, for the upcoming live-action adaptation of the video game MORTAL KOMBAT.
The long-rumored MORTAL KOMBAT project hails from AQUAMAN director James Wan's Atomic Monster studio, with plans to have accomplished commercial director Simon McQuoid direct for his feature length debut. Todd Garner will produce, with Larry Kasanoff, E. Bennett Walsh, Michael Clear and Sean Robins executive producing. Meanwhile, Greg Russo is currently on scripting duties.
For the time being, McQuiod and company are keeping the plot to MORTAL KOMBAT under wraps. That being said, I'd bet all the quarters I'd pumped into the first two Mortal Kombat arcade machines that it will revolve around a diverse group of fighters from different realms competing in a deadly tournament for universal supremacy.
Since 1992, Mortal Kombat has sold more than 49 million copies, and has spurned a number of video game sequels and spinoffs. Known for its elaborate plotting and over-the-top violence, Mortal Kombat has remained a top contender in the realm of fighting games for the past 27 years. Before he was adapting the Resident Evil franchise into a series of films, filmmaker Paul W.S. Anderson brought MORTAL KOMBAT to screens in 1995. While the film was panned by many critics, Anderson's version had shouted "Get over here," to box office dollars with a $122 million worldwide take. In time, the movie had achieved cult status among gamers and cinephiles alike, with many delighting in the film's cheesy effects, cringe-worthy performances, and killer soundtrack. A sequel to Anderson's film by the name of MORTAL KOMBAT: ANNIHILATION was released in 1997, a title that some have deemed one of the worst action films ever made.
With Taslim officially cast as Sub-Zero, it should only a matter of time before we hear about other characters entering the fray. Who among the Mortal Kombat elite do you hope to see in the new film? Let us know in the comments section below.
FIGHT!