The countdown has begun! Mortal Kombat II, the sequel to the brutal 2021 reboot, has officially wrapped filming and is set to hit theaters on October 24, 2025. Promising even more intense, bone-crunching action, the film aims to raise the bar for fans of the legendary franchise.
But despite production having wrapped back in January 2024, promotional content has been strangely absent. No posters, teasers, or trailers have surfaced, leaving fans anxious for a first look. The only official promo released to date has been a few first look stills via Entertainment Weekly, back in March.
In a recent interview with ComicBook, screenwriter Jeremy Slater addressed the radio silence. He explained that Warner Bros. Pictures and New Line Cinema are carefully timing the film’s marketing rollout, evaluating their 2025 release slate to determine the ideal moment to launch the campaign for Mortal Kombat II.
“I’m so excited for people to see the movie,” Slater told the site. “It’s been done for a while. We’ve been waiting for the right release date and waiting for the right window. I have been to those test screenings, which are full of Mortal Kombat fans, and watching them react to it the way I reacted to Avengers: Endgame. They were cheering and jumping out of their seats. Every joke is landing and they are loving it. It’s one of the greatest moments of my life. That’s why you get into this business.”
If Mortal Kombat II sticks to its October 24, 2025 release date, it will enter a competitive fall box office window. It’s slated to open just weeks after Tron: Ares (October 10) and The Black Phone 2 (October 17), and ahead of both Predator: Badlands and The Running Man reboot, which debut on November 7.
While these films offer some competition, Mortal Kombat II won’t be contending with any major superhero blockbusters or massive auteur-driven releases—no Marvel behemoths or Christopher Nolan epics are currently scheduled to siphon off ticket sales. That leaves the door open for a strong domestic run if the marketing and fan response hit the mark.
Story-wise, cast and crew have previously promised that the sequel wastes no time diving into the heart of the action. After surviving Shang Tsung’s pre-tournament ambush in the first film, Cole Young (Lewis Tan) and the defenders of Earthrealm now face the true challenge: the Mortal Kombat tournament itself. With nine losses already on the record, one more defeat would hand victory to Shao Kahn, the tyrannical Emperor of Outworld, and spell the end of humanity’s freedom. The fight for Earth’s survival has officially begun, and this time, there’s no room for error..
The sequel’s expanding roster will see several legendary characters from the games brought to life on the big screen including Karl Urban (The Boys) as he takes on the highly anticipated role of Johnny Cage, the cocky martial arts movie star turned Earthrealm warrior.
Additionally, Martyn Ford will also debut as the fearsome Shao Kahn, Tati Gabrielle as the deadly assassin Jade, and Adeline Rudolph as fan-favorite princess Kitana.
Rounding out the cast, Ana Thu Nguyen will appear as the powerful Queen Sindel, Damon Herriman steps in as the dark sorcerer Quan Chi, and Desmond Chiam portrays King Jerrod, adding even more depth to the franchise’s mythos.
Returning cast members include Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Chin Han as Shang Tsung, Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden, Mehcad Brooks as Jax Briggs, and Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi / Scorpion.