The anticipation for Mortal Kombat 2 is sky-high, despite some spoilers that emerged online after its release. Picking up after the events of the first movie, New Line Cinema and Warner Bros.'s Mortal Kombat 2 will finally highlight the titular tournament as Earthrealm's champions (led by Johnny Cage) must battle Outworld's forces to stop the tyrannical Shao Kahn from conquering Earth.
While much of the story is being kept under wraps, Mortal Kombat 2 writer Jeremy Slater told The Direct in June 2022 that the sequel has an "unexpected story," noting that he wrote something "incredibly satisfying, and really exciting, and unpredictable."
Mortal Kombat 2 is set to premiere in theaters on May 8.
Mortal Kombat 2's Biggest Spoilers Hint at Deaths & Game-Changing Story
Cole Young May Be in Trouble
Lewis Tan's Cole Young served as the central protagonist of the first Mortal Kombat movie. In fact, Cole set up his appearance in the sequel after he went to Hollywood to recruit Johnny Cage (played by The Boys star Karl Urban) at the end of the first film.
Cole, though, was almost invisible in Mortal Kombat 2's trailers and marketing leading up to its release, suggesting that the major character may be in trouble or be heading for an early exit in the sequel.
At the 0:22 mark of the recently released final trailer for Mortal Kombat 2, a shot of Shao Khan cutting Cole's fingers off was revealed, strongly indicating that an early confrontation between the pair happens to establish Khan as a formidable villain.
More so, at the 0:52 mark, there was also a shot of Cole being stabbed, setting him up for a gruesome fatality in the upcoming film to transfer the reigns of the lead protagonist to Johnny Cage.
Johnny Cage vs. Baraka Winner Revealed
Mortal Kombat's exclusive footage from CinemaCon 2026 revealed a full fight sequence between Johnny Cage and Baraka set in an Outworld desert village.
While Liu Kang stepped up to challenge Baraka directly to try to recruit him for the looming fight against Shao Kahn, Baraka refused, dismissing him completely. Despite that, an overconfident Cage stepped in to start trash-talking Baraka, forcing the dangerous fighter to agree to fight him.
Cage quickly realized he was in trouble, leading to all-out chaos. While he managed to dodge some spikes and attacks from Baraka, it was clear that Cage was no match against his newfound enemy.
Cage, though, managed to flip the script by using his martial arts moves, culminating with him delivering a brutal crotch shot to Baraka to win the fight.
Mortal Kombat 2 is Secretly Kitana's Movie Too
While Mortal Kombat 2 heavily focused on Johnny Cage's adventure, the sequel is also Kitana's movie as well. Kitana is one of the most iconic characters in the franchise, serving as a deadly assassin and a complex anti-hero who served under Shao Kahn's rule.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly in October 2025, Adeline Rudolph, who plays Kitana, confirmed that Kitana's storyline "feels very much interwoven into Johnny Cage's story," positioning her as a co-lead with deep emotional and mythological weight:
"Especially when I first read the script, it felt very much like the intertwining of two worlds. You have Earthrealm and then you have Edenia and Outworld. Kitana's storyline feels very much interwoven into Johnny Cage's story, and they go in and out of each other throughout the movie."
Kitana's prominence in the sequel makes sense because her personal inner conflict sets the stage for her eventual turn against Shao Kahn, thereby raising the stakes for her character.
Sub-Zero Is Back, but Not as We Remember
2021's Mortal Kombat ended with Cole Young and Scorpion working together to finally kill Sub-Zero. However, fans of the games know that Sub-Zero's death is not final, as evidenced by Bi-Han's comeback in Mortal Kombat 2 as a reborn wraith named Noob Saibot.
Noob Saibot has shadow-based powers, including teleportation, the ability to duplicate himself as a shadowy clone, and the ability to drain life force.
Mortal Kombat 2's latest trailer gave a preview of Bi-Han and Scorpion, indicating that a rematch is in the cards for the two rivals. If Cole does end up dying, Scorpion could be seeking revenge against Bi-Han in the film's climactic showdown.
In an interview with Collider in August 2025, Mortal Kombat 2 director Simon McQuoid talked about Bi-Han's return in the sequel, teasing that this version of the character is "a fan-favorite and mysterious" who is expected to spell trouble for the protagonists:
"This version of Bi-Han is a fan-favorite and mysterious character, who demands a costume design that captures the game’s aesthetics while maintaining the realism of the films. Simply put, he looks awesome because of genius costume designer Cappi Ireland and her amazing team."
Mortal Kombat's Creator Gets a Cameo
Mortal Kombat 2 is confirmed to include a fun cameo by bringing in the franchise's creator, Ed Boon, as a bartender serving drinks to Johnny Cage in an Earthrealm bar.
In the fun scene, Ed hilariously points out to Cage that he expects him to be "normally a little more animated," while another trailer revealed that Ed is actually using his real name in the movie.
This is on-brand for a franchise like Mortal Kombat because it rewards longtime fans of a worthwhile on-screen moment.
