"Mortal Kombat 2" Release Earlier Than Expected

Warner Bros and New Line’s anticipated "Mortal Kombat II," which originally was set to open this weekend, is now going a week earlier on May 8, 2026, after its previously announced release date of May 15.

The Simon McQuoid-directed sequel moves onto the same Mother’s Day weekend frame as Amazon MGM Studios’ "Sheep Detectives". Both movies bow in the wake of 20th Century Studios’ "The Devil Wears Prada 2".

Remaining on May 15 is Row K’s Maude Apatow comedy "Poetic License" and Amazon MGM Studios’ suspense drama "Is God Is".

Hailing from New Line and based on the popular video game franchise that dates back to the 1990s, the film stars Karl Urban as Johnny Cage, alongside Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Tati Gabrielle, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman, with Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden, Joe Taslim as Bi-Han, and Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi and Scorpion.

"Mortal Kombat II" centers on the group of ragtag fighters who must defend Earth from the evil forces of Outworld. It follows 2021’s "Mortal Kombat," which rebooted the film franchise that kicked off with the original 1995 movie.

McQuoid helmed the film from a script by Jeremy Slater that is based on the video game created by Ed Boon and John Tobias.

Producers include Toby Emmerich, E. Bennett Walsh and McQuoid. EPs are Michael Clear, Judson Scott, Jeremy Slater and Lawrence Kasanoff.

In part two, the fan favorite champions—now joined by Johnny Cage himself—are pitted against one another in the ultimate, no-holds barred, gory battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earth realm and its defenders.

To date, the three Mortal Kombat movies from New Line have minted $257.8M around the globe.