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Mortal Kombat 2 writer discusses reasons for cutting video game fighter

By Sofia Martinez · Culture & Entertainment Editor

May 9, 2026 · 10 min read

Jennifer Chu

Published May 9, 2026, 7:36 PM EDT

Jennifer is a TV and Movie News Editor at ScreenRant. She started her journey in entertainment media in 2022 when she first joined Valnet at CBR before coming to ScreenRant.**

Jennifer loves TV, especially science fiction. She also loves late-night talk shows, due to her insomnia. Alien: Earth is definitely one of her favorite shows, and she jumps on any chance she gets to write about it. Even on her days off, she will claim an Alien Earth article if one is available.

Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon are two of her favorite late-night hosts, and Conan O'Brien before he left his show.

Her Alien: Earth coverage for ScreenRant is by far the work that she is most proud of so far.

She was initially a finance and political editor, but her passion for pop culture convinced her to transition into entertainment journalism.

During her off time, she loves to binge-watch cooking shows such as Kitchen Nightmares. Jennifer also loves spending time with her daughter and cherishes every moment of it.

Mortal Kombat 2 _**has hit the big screen, but it's one fighter down.

Mortal Kombat 2 is a sequel to 2021's Mortal Kombat film, inspired by the popular video game franchise created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. Directed by Simon McQuoid, the story follows martial arts star Johnny Cage (Karl Urban), who is brought into Earthrealm’s fight. He enters a dangerous interdimensional tournament against the forces of Outworld led by an emperor named Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford).

The Mortal Kombat video game franchise has a massive roster of characters to choose from, and unfortunately, too many to fit into a single film. In an interview with GamesRadar+, Mortal Kombat 2 writer Jeremy Slater explained that narrowing down the lineup for the movie was a very difficult task. He also revealed that there was one fighter who nearly made the final version of the sequel, but was ultimately cut because he just couldn't fit him in, Tremor.

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QUESTION 1 / 8THE 1995 BREAKOUT

01 The 1995 Mortal Kombat film, made for a modest $18 million, opened to $23 million on its first weekend, knocked off Seven from the #1 spot and went on to become a video-game-movie touchstone of the era. The film was helmed by a then-rookie British director who’d later turn the Resident Evil franchise into a global hit. Name him.

APaul W.S. Anderson BRoland Emmerich CRenny Harlin DStephen Sommers

✓ Correct! Paul W.S. Anderson, then 30 and on his second feature after 1994’s Shopping. Mortal Kombat’s box-office success put Anderson on Hollywood’s map — he went on to direct Event Horizon, Soldier and the entire Resident Evil film franchise (six films, 2002–16). To this day Anderson’s 1995 Mortal Kombat is widely regarded as one of the most watchable video-game adaptations ever made. ✗ Wrong. The answer is Paul W.S. Anderson. Roland Emmerich was busy with Independence Day in 1996. Renny Harlin made Cliffhanger and Cutthroat Island around this period. Stephen Sommers later did Deep Rising (1998) and The Mummy (1999). Mortal Kombat (1995) is Paul W.S. Anderson’s breakout.

QUESTION 2 / 8SHAOLIN’S CHAMPION

02 The 1995 film cast its central hero — the Shaolin monk Liu Kang, fighting in the tournament to avenge his murdered brother — with a Hong Kong-born actor and martial artist who would reprise the role in 1997’s Annihilation. Name him.

ARobin Shou BCary-Hiroyuki Tagawa CRussell Wong DMark Dacascos

✓ Correct! Robin Shou. Born in Hong Kong, Shou had previously appeared in Tiger Cage 2 and as a stunt-double choreographer for Jet Li. He played Liu Kang in both 1995’s Mortal Kombat and 1997’s Annihilation, choreographed his own fight scenes for the original film, and remains the actor most strongly identified with on-screen Liu Kang prior to the 2021 reboot (where Ludi Lin took over the role). ✗ Wrong. The answer is Robin Shou. Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa plays Shang Tsung in the 1995 film — the soul-stealing villain. Russell Wong didn’t appear in either 1990s MK film. Mark Dacascos has had similar action-hero roles (Brotherhood of the Wolf, Cradle 2 the Grave, John Wick 3) but isn’t Liu Kang. Robin Shou is the one.

QUESTION 3 / 8PROTECTOR OF EARTHREALM

03 In the 1995 film, the thunder god and protector of Earthrealm Lord Raiden — complete with conical straw hat, electric eyes and a wry, dryly amused delivery — was played by a French actor best known for the cult Highlander films. Name him.

AJean-Claude Van Damme BChristopher Lambert CVincent Cassel DPierce Brosnan

✓ Correct! Christopher Lambert — the New York-born, Geneva-raised French actor best known as Connor MacLeod in the Highlander films. Lambert reportedly took the role for $1 million plus profit participation, and his weirdly amused performance (“You’re very perceptive”) is a fan-favourite. Lambert chose not to return for 1997’s Annihilation, where Raiden was recast with James Remar. ✗ Wrong. The answer is Christopher Lambert. Jean-Claude Van Damme was famously offered Johnny Cage but ultimately wasn’t in the film — though Cage’s splits-and-groin-punch finishing move is a JCVD homage. Vincent Cassel and Pierce Brosnan were never attached. Lambert is the 1995 Raiden.

QUESTION 4 / 8THE THEME SONG

04 The franchise’s instantly recognisable theme — a pumping techno bass riff capped with an ecstatic shouted “MORTAL KOMBAT!” — was written by Olivier Adams and Praga Khan under the project name The Immortals for the 1993 single “Mortal Kombat” before being repurposed as the 1995 film’s anthem. What’s the song’s actual track title?

ATechno Syndrome BTest Your Might CFinish Him DFatality

✓ Correct! “Techno Syndrome” — track three on The Immortals’ 1994 album Mortal Kombat: The Album, which Sony commissioned to capitalise on the games. The song’s opening “MORTAL KOMBAT!” shout is sampled directly from in-game digitised audio. The 1995 film’s opening sequence remixed it as “Techno Syndrome 7th Edition,” which is the version everyone remembers — and the version returned for the 2021 reboot. ✗ Wrong. The answer is “Techno Syndrome.” “Test Your Might” is one of the original arcade game’s mini-games, not a song title. “Finish Him” and “Fatality” are in-game catchphrases. The actual title of the legendary “MORTAL KOMBAT!” track is “Techno Syndrome,” written by The Immortals for Sony’s 1994 tie-in album.

QUESTION 5 / 8THE 1997 SEQUEL

05 Two years after the 1995 hit, the much-maligned sequel rushed into theatres with a slimmer budget, recast Raiden and Sonya, and threw a mountain of fan-service cameos at the screen — Sheeva, Sindel, Motaro, Cyrax, Smoke, Nightwolf, Jade, Mileena. It tanked critically and spent over two decades as a punchline. What was the sequel’s subtitle?

AAnnihilation BResurrection CConquest DDeception

✓ Correct! Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (November 1997). Director John R. Leonetti (the original’s cinematographer) took over from Anderson on a compressed schedule, with most of the original cast either declining to return or recast (James Remar replaced Lambert as Raiden, Sandra Hess replaced Bridgette Wilson as Sonya). It earned $51 million worldwide on a $30 million budget, killed the franchise’s film prospects for decades and is widely cited as one of the worst video-game adaptations ever made. ✗ Wrong. The answer is Annihilation. Mortal Kombat: Conquest is a 1998–99 syndicated TV series. “Deception” is a video game subtitle (Mortal Kombat: Deception, 2004). “Resurrection” isn’t official. The 1997 sequel is Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, directed by John R. Leonetti.

QUESTION 6 / 8THE 2021 PROTAGONIST

06 The 2021 reboot, produced by James Wan’s Atomic Monster and directed by Simon McQuoid, introduced an original audience-surrogate protagonist named Cole Young — a struggling Chicago MMA fighter with a dragon-mark birthmark who’s pulled into the tournament. Which English-American actor played him?

ALewis Tan BMark Dacascos CIko Uwais DTony Jaa

✓ Correct! Lewis Tan — the English-American actor and martial artist (Iron Fist, Deadpool 2, Wu Assassins) playing the original-character protagonist Cole Young. Cole was created specifically for the film, isn’t in any of the games, and was a fan-debate flashpoint — the choice to centre an original character ahead of established Liu Kang divided early reactions before the film opened to over $80 million worldwide. ✗ Wrong. The answer is Lewis Tan. Mark Dacascos isn’t in this film. Iko Uwais (The Raid) was rumoured for a role but wasn’t cast. Tony Jaa (Ong-Bak) wasn’t involved either. Lewis Tan plays Cole Young — the original-character lead created specifically for the 2021 film’s reboot continuity.

QUESTION 7 / 8SUB-ZERO

07 In the 2021 reboot, Bi-Han / Sub-Zero — the cryomancer Lin Kuei assassin who freezes blood into icicle-blade weapons in some of the film’s standout setpieces — is played by an Indonesian martial-arts star best known for his role as Jaka in The Raid. Name him.

AIko Uwais BJoe Taslim CYayan Ruhian DTony Jaa

✓ Correct! Joe Taslim — the Indonesian Olympic-level judoka turned actor (The Raid, Fast & Furious 6, Star Trek Beyond, The Night Comes for Us). Taslim’s ice-knife fight choreography in the cold-open prologue (Hanzo Hasashi vs Bi-Han in feudal Japan) and his climactic Cole Young rematch are the film’s most-praised sequences. He returned in a different role for Mortal Kombat 2. ✗ Wrong. The answer is Joe Taslim. Iko Uwais — Taslim’s frequent The Raid co-star and the franchise’s breakout name — isn’t in the 2021 film. Yayan Ruhian (Mad Dog from The Raid) isn’t either. Tony Jaa is the Thai Ong-Bak star. Joe Taslim is the 2021 Sub-Zero.

QUESTION 8 / 8THE 2025 SEQUEL

08 The follow-up to the 2021 reboot was officially announced in early 2022 with director Simon McQuoid returning, much of the original cast back, and the long-awaited big-screen debut of Johnny Cage — played by Karl Urban. The film hits theatres in October 2025. What’s its title?

AMortal Kombat II BMortal Kombat: Aftermath CMortal Kombat: Outworld DMortal Kombat: Reborn

✓ Correct! Mortal Kombat II, releasing October 24, 2025 from New Line / Warner Bros. Karl Urban joins the cast as Johnny Cage — the brash Hollywood action star who never made it into the 2021 film — alongside returning actors Lewis Tan, Joe Taslim, Hiroyuki Sanada, Jessica McNamee, Mehcad Brooks and others. The film is set up to finally adapt the actual Outworld tournament from the games, which the 2021 reboot famously deferred. ✗ Wrong. The answer is Mortal Kombat II (also styled Mortal Kombat 2). “Aftermath” is a Mortal Kombat 11 game DLC. “Outworld” and “Reborn” aren’t official. The 2025 sequel is simply titled Mortal Kombat II, directed by Simon McQuoid, with Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage as the headline addition.

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According to Slater, during development, Tremor, a ninja who could control lava and metal, was supposed to appear in a fight scene with Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee). The writer believed that the character’s powers made him an exciting option for the film’s action sequences. And, Tremor has also been popular among Mortal Kombat's _dedicated gamers. Slater added that in the original draft, the battle would have ended with Tremor being killed off.

However, as the writing process continued for Mortal Kombat 2, the creative team decided that Tremor didn't fit naturally into the story. Slater ended up using Sindel (Ana Thu Nguyen), the mother of Kitana (Adeline Rudolph), instead. Slater explained that the reason behind this was that he and the rest of the creative team realized that she was better suited for the sequel. Additionally, they believed that Sindel wasn't featured enough in the original draft. Slater decided using her instead of Tremor would allow them to showcase her full potential and deliver a stronger emotional impact.

Slater said that he felt Tremor’s limited role would not have given him enough room to properly develop the character, which would've made it difficult for audiences to connect with him in a meaningful way. By replacing him with Sindel, he was able to raise the emotional stakes while also taking advantage of her supernatural abilities during Mortal Kombat 2's action-packed scenes.

Although he is popular in the gaming community, Tremor remains a relatively obscure fighter in the _Mortal Kombat _franchise as a whole. The ninja is solely a DLC (downloadable content) character in the video games and first debuted in Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, which was released in 2000.

_Mortal Kombat 2 _is currently playing in theaters now.

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