Maybe the ‘Mortal Kombat 2’ Delay Is a Good Thing

Watching new movies at home during lockdown was a real blessing. It was a welcome distraction from the burning world outside through a hit of what felt like normalcy. This was especially ideal for me when I was doing 6 AM bottle feedings with two lil dudes who start school tomorrow (and I’m not crying, you’re crying). Even with the thrill of having new entertainment during a dark time and being a new dad, I had my limits.

Godzilla vs Kong was the first thing I watched at home that made me feel like it almost wasn’t worth it. Perhaps it would have been more enjoyable on the big screen, but its brand of big, dumb fun didn’t resonate with me at the time. I’ve watched it since, though, and accepted it for what it is. What I had zero desire to return to was the 2021 film adaptation of Mortal Kombat.

I was born in 1989, so I am well aware of the stranglehold Mortal Kombat had on pop culture. The games made national headlines, both positive and negative. I’ve played plenty of those games, saw the first movie based on them in theaters (much to my mother’s chagrin, because she had to take me), and yelled “toasty” in many a school playground. It should be an easy nostalgia button to push, especially when I’m stuck at home.

Instead, I sat there, on a Saturday morning, feeding my kids, bored out of my goddamn mind. The film looked fine, but it was the epitome of empty calories. All flash and zero pulp. I don’t need substance in a movie made about a 2D fighting video game, but good lord, if the game is about a tournament of fighters, make the movie about a tournament as well! Instead, it was all build-up to something we never saw, and had me like Milhouse the whole time.

While the first film never made it to the eponymous tournament, its sequel seemed primed to change that. I won’t lie and say I was excited for a sequel, but the casting of Karl Urban as Johnny Cage intrigued me, and the trailer got me legitimately excited. It looked like the game, in the biggest, dumbest way possible (and that’s all I ask). The action looked exciting, and it was all tournament-forward. I can’t embed the trailer, but you can watch it here.

While an October release date seemed odd, I was ready to go to the theaters to see a non-horror movie in October. But alas, a little less than two months away, the film was pushed from its October 24th release date to May 15th, 2026. That will make it over five years between this movie and its predecessor. The delay felt devastating at first. It made me think, what went wrong? But I should maybe be asking the opposite.

October is often a busy month, as we start to see Oscar contenders and other big movies released. Warner Bros., as they are once again known, may have seen a better chance for the video game adaptation if it came out closer to the summer. Given how close it was to coming out, it’s unlikely that any reshoots are going on (though that wouldn’t be unheard of). It’s more likely that they just want it out in a less crowded market.

I’m floored to be so hopeful about a sequel to a movie I didn’t like, but, dagnabbit, that trailer looked really good on the big screen. Karl Urban looks to be having a blast as Cage. There was a lot to look forward to. So, hopefully, my excitement will last until May, and I’ll be greeted with a silly and bloody action movie I would have happily watched while feeding my sweet baby boys on my couch. They used to fit in each of my hands!