Mortal Kombat 2 will feature fan-favorite character Johnny Cage. Now, Warner Bros. and New Line's sequel may have found someone to play the role: The Boys star Karl Urban.
The Mortal Kombat reboot starred Lewis Tan as Cole Young, an original character created for the film who seeks out fighters from the video games to help protect himself and his family from the villainous Sub-Zero. While Johhny Cage was not among the Mortal Kombat characters featured in the reboot, the film promised his inclusion in the sequel by ending with Cole Young heading to Los Angeles to seek the martial arts movie star.
Since then, fans have wondered who will play Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 2, and they might finally have their answer. The Wrap reports that Urban is in final talks to play Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 2. Fans will likely know Urban best for his roles as Billy Butcher in Amazon Prime Video's The Boys, Dr. Leonard ‘Bones’ McCoy in the Star Trek reboot movies, Skurge in Thor: Ragnarok, Éomer in Peter Jackson's final two Lord of the Rings films, and Judge Dredd in Dredd.
Johnny Cage has been part of the Mortal Kombat franchise since he was introduced in the first game in 1992. The character is often depicted as a Hollywood action movie star who also happens to be one of the primary heroes defending Earthrealm. Known for iconic Fatality finishing moves, Johnny Cage also places great importance on his public image and exudes a cool attitude. In the rebooted Mortal Kombat games, Johnny Cage passes his mantle down to his daughter, Cassie Cage.
As mentioned, Urban has experience in genre blockbusters, making him a more-than-suitable candidate for the Johnny Cage role. However, Urban's role in The Boys and other projects proves he can deliver powerful, layered, and moving performances amid the blockbuster spectacle.
Although Mortal Kombat only grossed $84.4 million worldwide, it did so amid the pandemic and became one of HBO Max's most successful titles. Still, fans believe there are ways for the Mortal Kombat sequel to improve on the first film, and casting Urban as Johnny Cage is a significant step toward achieving that goal.
Mortal Kombat 2 begins production in June 2023.
Source: The Wrap