More casting news has come out of the upcoming Mortal Kombat 2, with another major character from the video game series announced to be joining the growing line-up. Based on the hit fighting games first developed in the early 1990s, Mortal Kombat follows warriors from Earthrealm as they battle in a tournament to protect the world from the shadowy forces of Outworld. First adapted to screen in 1995’s Mortal Kombat and its 1997 sequel Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, the series was later rebooted in 2021 under the direction of Simon McQuoid, who is also set to helm the upcoming Mortal Kombat 2.
Now The Hollywood Reporter has revealed that Chilling Adventures of Sabrina star Adeline Rudolph is set to join the cast as Princess Kitana. This latest piece of casting news follows on from revelations that Rudolph’s former co-star Tati Gabrielle has been tapped to play the role of Jade, Kitana’s bodyguard and lifelong friend. Meanwhile, filming for the Mortal Kombat 2 movie is expected to get underway in Queensland, Australia shortly.
Will Mortal Kombat 2 Return To The Source Mythology?
More than doubling box office predictions for its opening weekend, the theatrical debut of 2021’s Mortal Kombat was not only a strong start for an industry that had been keenly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, but also for a movie simultaneously released on streaming. Yet despite an impressive opening weekend, the film received mixed reviews from critics and would also fall prey to complaints about changes made to the games’ lore. Foremost among these concerns was the introduction of an entirely original character, Lewis Tan’s Cole Young, and the decision not to show the actual Mortal Kombat tournament itself.
However, if the recent spate of casting announcements is any indication, Mortal Kombat 2 might just return to a more faithful approach to the lore featured in the original games. Rudolph’s Princess Kitana, who was first introduced in the 1993 game Mortal Kombat II, plays an integral role in the story of Outworld as the adoptive daughter of the villainous Shao Kahn. While 2021’s Mortal Kombat had already introduced, and later killed off, her disfigured clone Mileena, her inclusion in the sequel alongside her faithful bodyguard Jade would suggest plans to return to a closer adaptation of the source mythology.
Moreover, The Boys and Lord of the Rings star Karl Urban is expected to play Johnny Cage, one of the first characters from the original games who was also left out of the 2021 film. Between the inclusions of Cage, Kitana and Jade, Mortal Kombat 2 seems intent on addressing many of the criticisms that were leveled at the 2021 reboot. Only time will tell if the sequel can live up to the success of the original games, but treating the original lore with the respect it deserves will likely go a long way to appeasing audiences.
Source: THR
