Mortal Kombat 2 unveils first look at Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage and he’s perfect
Prime Video/Warner Bros.Here it comes! Mortal Kombat 2 will introduce Karl Urban as Johnny Cage, the franchise’s longtime martial arts movie star – and this is what he looks like.
The gut-spilling fighter franchise first hit cinemas in 1995, followed by the woeful Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. In 2021, the series got a big-screen reboot – and it was a dream come true, full of flawless victories, brutalities, appearances from classic characters, and the tease of a full-blown MKCU.
A sequel was quickly green-lit by Warner Bros, and it’ll rectify the first film’s big mistake: not including an actual Mortal Kombat tournament.
Now, the marketing rollout for Mortal Kombat 2 has Kommenced with a peek at Urban’s take on Johnny Cage and the new logo – and you should get excited.
Karl Urban is Johnny Cage in first look at Mortal Kombat 2
Warner Bros.The first poster for Mortal Kombat 2 features a fictional movie: Uncaged Fury, starring Urban’s Cage, complete with a leather jacket, shades, and an apt hairdo.
If you look at the small print, you’ll find some cast details for the sequel – including Joe Taslim as Bi-Han (suggesting we will see him as Noob Saibot) and Hiroyuki Sanada reprising his role as Scorpion. It’s also confirmed the film’s R rating for “strong bloody violence, gore, and language.”
Urban’s casting as the roundhouse-kicking brawler was a surprise when it was announced, and it even left some people a bit skeptical about whether or not he was the right choice.
Admittedly, Scott Adkins or The Miz seemed like easy wins to cast Cage – but people are forgetting how good Urban is as Butcher in The Boys, as well as his performance as Dredd. With a bit of training and practical stuntwork (the film’s team has said they’ve addressed fans’ complaints about the first entry, so fingers crossed), he could be brilliant.
While some fans are still unsure, it’s still ramped up excitement for the sequel.
“Had my doubts when I heard the announcement but man, that is good casting,” one user wrote. “Karl Urban looks so great as Johnny Cage! This is awesome,” another posted. “The perfect fit. Much like he was in the film Dredd,” a third wrote.
“Hollywood finest has finally shown himself in a big way! Here’s to hoping to see him unleash his green energy on the big screen,” a fourth tweeted.
Until Mortal Kombat 2 hits cinemas on October 24, 2025, check out our list of the best video game movies and keep tabs on the 2025 movie calendar.