2021’s Mortal Kombat was a decent stab at bringing the famed fighting game franchise to the big screen. We loved the movie’s take on Sub Zero and Scorpion, as well as how it leaned heavily into the interdimensional goofiness at the core of the franchise. That said, there’s definitely room for improvement, and the film focusing on Lewis Tan’s new character Cole Young was a head-scratching decision given the number of legacy favorites available to choose from.
Let’s hope those involved have taken notes, as Mortal Kombat 2 is in production in Australia. One notable missing face from the opener was martial arts action star Johnny Cage. Speculation was rife about who’d be cast, though fans breathed a sigh of relief when The Boys star Karl Urban scored the role:
Not everyone is happy, though. WWE superstar The Miz fully embodies the spirit of Johnny Cage and campaigned to get the role. Speaking with ComicBook, he revealed he told his agent to get to work:
“I remember calling my agent and going, ‘Dude, I want this. I don’t know what I have to do. Call whoever you have to call. I want this bad.’ And then I’ll even say, I even put a campaign. I went out on every interview and every time someone asked me about this question, I would say, ‘I want to be Johnny Cage. I want to be Johnny Cage.”
Unfortunately for The Miz, the studio had other plans:
“I never got an audition, which is fine. I mean, maybe they just didn’t see me as the character. And then I heard Karl Urban got it, and I was like, ‘Wow.’ And people were like, ‘Are you mad? Are you angry?’ And it’s like, I never get mad or angry when someone else gets a part that I want. I am fully supportive of a person getting… I imagine they’re going to work as hard as I will work to make sure that that character is honed in, locked in, and is the character that the audience wants and loves.”
The Miz thinks Urban is going to do a great job, but admits he’s “heartbroken” he didn’t even get a chance to prove he had what it takes:
“Am I heartbroken that I’m not going to be Johnny Cage? Yes, of course. But that’s the story of life. You literally take your bumps and bruises. I mean, this is Hollywood.”
All that said, it’s not like much is happening with Mortal Kombat 2 now. The shoot began in late June and was expected to wrap in September 2023, though the SAG-AFTRA strike has slammed the brakes on and it’s unknown when the cameras will start rolling again.
Here’s hoping a deal is coming soon, as we’re eager to see Urban’s Johnny Cage nut punching his way through various Outworld monstrosities.
Published: Jul 18, 2023 02:18 am