‘Mortal Kombat 2’ Cast & Character Guide for Video Game Sequel

Mortal Kombat proved a hit with audiences upon its 2021 release. The movie adapted the popular fighting game franchise of the same name, bringing an eclectic mix of fan favorite characters to life. Mortal Kombat found success with general audiences thanks to its fun, action-packed fights. Yet, it also captured die-hard fans thanks to nods to the video games, accurate aesthetics, and brutal fatalities. While the movie wasn’t perfect, it easily surpassed prior efforts, ensuring a sequel was on the way.

Mortal Kombat II was slated for release in late 2025, but was pushed back to May 8, 2026. The story continues the battle to save Earthrealm, this time through the deadly combat tournament that the 2021 movie built up to. A new trailer was recently released, continuing to hype the sequel while giving audiences a glimpse of new and returning characters. Plenty of new faces are taking the spotlight in Mortal Kombat II, with numerous returning fighters from the original movie, providing the sequel with a robust roster that is sure to excite fans.

New Characters in ‘Mortal Kombat II’

Karl Urban as Johnny Cage

Warner Bros.

Karl Urban is known for his role as Billy Butcher in the subversive superhero show The Boys. The star of Dredd is taking on the part of Johnny Cage, who is a middle-aged, washed-up action star pulled into the Mortal Kombat tournament. He’s cocky, with the martial arts skills to back up his bravado. By the looks of early trailers, Johnny could even be the film’s central protagonist, driving the story for the rest of the fighters.

Adeline Rudolph as Kitana

Adeline Rudolph's Kitana facing off against Karl Urban's Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 2 — Adeline Rudolph’s Kitana facing off against Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 2

Adeline Rudolph is best known as Agatha on Netflix’s Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Rudolph is playing Kitana, one of Mortal Kombat‘s most recognizable characters, as the princess of Edenia. Kitana’s steel-bladed fans are iconic weapons, and she is connected to several other characters. She is the daughter of Queen Sindel and a frequent love interest of Liu Kang, with both relationships likely playing a factor in the sequel. Kitana will look to live up to her video-game counterpart, serving as a prominent figure in the fight against Outworld.

Martyn Ford as Shao Kahn

Martyn Ford is a towering figure, standing 6’8″. He’s appeared in several high-profile roles, including F9: The Fast Saga, the recent Red Sonja reboot, and as Goliath on House of David. Ford plays Shao Kahn, the Emperor of Outworld, who looks to be fulfilling his role from numerous games as the central villain. His control over Shang Tsung is likely to play a part, with the latest trailer presenting him as a terrifying force.

Tati Gabrielle as Jade

Tati Gabrielle has been popping up in several notable shows, including Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, You, and The Last of Us. She has also appeared in movies like Uncharted with Tom Holland. Gabrielle is playing Jade, who appears to have a prominent role, with the trailers highlighting the character. Jade is Kitana’s highly skilled bodyguard, and the two have formed a lifelong friendship, which should factor into the film’s plot.

CJ Bloomfield as Baraka

CJ Bloomfield has appeared in notable action entries over the last few years, including Ice Road: Vengeance and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. Bloomfield is playing one of the most recognizable characters, thanks to his gnarly teeth and retractable forearm blades, which he fires in the trailer. Baraka is the leader of the Tarkatans, a brutal tribe of nomadic mutants that have been an antagonistic force in the game and are allied with Shao Kahn.

Joe Taslim as Bi-Han/Noob Saibot

Joe Taslim is known for The Raid: Redemption and the show Warrior. He appeared in the first Mortal Kombat as Sub-Zero, but was killed by Scorpion. In keeping with the game’s lore, the character is resurrected as Noob Saibot, an undead wraith who comes from the Netherrealm. He served Quan Chi, who resurrected him, and this may also prove true in the upcoming movie.

Additional New Characters in ‘Mortal Kombat II’

Ana Thu Nguyen (Primitive War) is appearing in the sequel as Sindel, Kitana’s mother and Jerrod’s wife. She is likely to play a villain, as she is never to be trusted in the games, and her relationship with her daughter is tenuous at best. She may even be allied with Shao Kahn.
Damon Herriman (Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood) is playing Quan Chi, an evil necromancer and rival of Shang Tsung. Not much has been seen of Herriman’s role, but his villainous character could play an integral part in the sequel’s conflict or even in future entries.
Desmond Chiam (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier) is King Jerrod, who is featured in the latest trailer. Jerrod is King of Edenia and Kitana’s father, with the character looking to set up much of the sequel’s stakes.

Returning Cast & Characters From ‘Mortal Kombat’ (2021)

Several characters from 2021’s Mortal Kombat are also set to return for the sequel, with many looking to play prominent roles, while others could be ushered into the background. While Johnny Cage may be taking the de facto lead, characters like Liu Kang, Lord Raiden, and Sonya Blade are all prevalent in the marketing, and the sequel looks to feature past characters as much as new ones.

Ludi Lin (Power Rangers) is back as Liu Kang, a Shaolin monk chosen to protect Earthrealm, who is easily considered the game franchise’s main protagonist. If there is a lead figure in the story aside from Urban’s Johnny Cage, it will likely be Liu, whose connections to Raiden and Kitana can bring depth to the sequel.
Tadanobu Asano (Shogun) returns as Lord Raiden, with the trailers showing the God of Thunder pulling Johnny Cage into the battle to stop Outworld from conquering the realms. He’s likely to continue in a mentor role, fighting when needed.
Hiroyuki Sanada (Shogun) reprises his impressive turn as Scorpion/Hanzo Hasashi. However, after defeating Sub-Zero to exact his vengeance in Mortal Kombat, Scorpion will likely serve in a supporting role, becoming an integral side character.
Josh Lawson (St. Denis Medical) is back as Mortal Kombat standout Kano, the humorous mercenary with a laser eye. He was killed, and the sequel introduces a new iteration of the character, likely resurrected by Shang Tsung.
Jessica McNamee (The Meg) reprises her role as Sonya Blade, who appears to have a prominent role in the sequel, much as she did in the first movie. She’s putting her Special Forces skills to use, helping Johnny acclimate to the fight.
Max Huang (Time Raiders) returns as Kung Lao, bringing his iconic bladed hat in his return from the dead. Much like Noob Saibot, Kung Lao was likely resurrected by Quan Chi, potentially underscoring Quan Chi’s prominent influence in the sequel.
Chin Han (Marco Polo) is back as Shang Tsung, who will likely be allied with Shao Kahn. He was also defeated in the first film, with the soul-stealing sorcerer’s presence still set to be menacing, though perhaps less prominent.
Mehcad Brooks (Law & Order) returns as Jax, Sonya’s partner and a skilled Special Forces operative who has cybernetically enhanced arms. The character appears to serve as one of the sequel’s central heroes, though the scope of his role remains to be seen.
Lewis Tan (Cobra Kai) is back as Cole Young, an original character created for the first Mortal Kombat, who is a descendant of Hanzo Hasashi. He was a divisive addition, with the MMA fighter clearly not the lead of the sequel. While his role may be small, some also speculate Cole could be killed off, but that has not been confirmed.

Mortal Kombat II is set to unleash another blood-soaked saga when it hits theaters this summer, with the sequel potentially featuring additional surprise characters, adding to an already stacked roster.