Warner Bros. has officially dropped the red-band trailer for Mortal Kombat II, and it’s giving fans the tournament they’ve been waiting for. The sequel to the 2021 reboot will hit theaters exclusively on October 24, 2025, and it promises more brutal action, higher stakes, and fan-favorite fighters—plus a big spotlight on Johnny Cage, played by The Boys star Karl Urban.
The follow-up continues the saga based on the legendary video game franchise created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. This time, Earthrealm’s champions are gearing up to face off in a no-holds-barred battle to stop the dark reign of Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford), who threatens to wipe out humanity as we know it.
Karl Urban makes his franchise debut as Johnny Cage, the cocky, washed-up movie star with real martial arts chops who’s recruited by Lord Raiden (Tadanobu Asano) to fight for Earth. From the moment he enters the frame—dodging blows and yelling “Not the face!” while battling Baraka—the tone is set: Cage is here, and he’s not taking any punches quietly.
Returning cast from the first film includes:
- Lewis Tan as Cole Young
- Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade
- Josh Lawson as Kano
- Mehcad Brooks as Jax
- Ludi Lin as Liu Kang
- Chin Han as Shang Tsung
- Joe Taslim as Bi-Han/Sub-Zero
- Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion
- Max Huang as Kung Lao
Newcomers joining the fray include:
- Tati Gabrielle as Jade
- Adeline Rudolph as Kitana
- Desmond Chiam
- Ana Thu Nguyen
- Damon Herriman as Quan Chi
Simon McQuoid returns to direct from a screenplay by Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight), with Todd Garner, James Wan, Toby Emmerich, and E. Bennett Walsh producing. The first film, released during the COVID-19 pandemic, was a streaming success for HBO Max. But this time around, Mortal Kombat II is headed straight to theaters with an upgraded budget, more elaborate fight choreography, and—yes—plenty of bloody fatalities.
“This time we’ve got the scale and scope we were missing in the first,” said producer Todd Garner. “More fighting, bigger visuals, and a story that leans even deeper into the heart of the franchise.”
And yes, the actual Mortal Kombat tournament is finally at the center of the story, addressing one of the biggest critiques of the previous film. With Scorpion back, new realms introduced, and Cage leading the charge, the sequel aims to blend nostalgic character beats with next-level brutality.
The red-band trailer made its debut during a livestream event co-hosted by Warner Bros., IMAX, and IGN, and gave fans a first look at some of the film’s most anticipated matchups—including a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it tease of Noob Saibot.
Watch the trailer for Mortal Kombat II above.
Will Earthrealm survive, or is it game over?