Mortal Kombatcreator Ed Boon explains whyMortal Kombat 2is bringing back dead characters, revealing how the movie is able to see their return. Thecast ofMortal Kombat 2will see the return of deceased characters like Kano (Josh Lawson) and Kung Lao (Max Huang). Both characters died in the previous film, with Kano having been killed by Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee) and Kung Lao having his soul taken by Shang Tsung (Chin Han). However, with their return, the budding movie franchise has opened the door for deceased character stories to continue.

Speaking withEntertainment Weekly, Boon explained howMortal Kombat 2’s inclusion of the NetherRealm will explain how dead characters are able to come back to life. The creator explained how spirits are going to be an important concept to the sequel, allowing dead characters to return. It also means more characters who are dead can get a second chance at life in the forthcoming sequel. Check out what Boon had to say below:

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I can say Josh Lawson doesn’t play Kano’s twin. We’ve killed a number of characters who are in Mortal Kombat 1 and our latest games. So we deal with spirits and the NetherRealm and things like that. There are ways to bring dead characters back.

What Boon’s Explanation Means For Mortal Kombat 2

Any Deceased Character Could Come Back

Mortal Kombatendedwith a number of characters dead, most prominently whenCole Young (Lewis Tan) and Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada) teamed up to kill Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim). It’s already been confirmed that the deceased ancient warriors will be coming back, even if the story isn’t directly focused on their conflict with one another. The biggest introduction will be Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage, serving as a new central character to help in the upcoming tournament. This means he’ll likely be facing off with many a deceased character in his own battles ahead.

Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage Gives Mortal Kombat 2 The Chance To Redeem The Franchise’s Most Controversial Character

Cole Young’s introduction in 2021’s Mortal Kombat was divisive, but Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage has an opportunity to fix that.

Since the upcoming sequel will befocused on the NetherRealm, the dead characters from the original movie will still have plenty to do as the tournament unfolds. The spirits of ancient warriors like Scorpion could assist the living team members in their upcoming fight, whileothers like Kano and Sub-Zero may continue to prove constant threats. Some characters getting introduced, like Kitana (Adeline Rudolph) and Shao Khan (Martyn Ford) may also have connections to the dead, explaining how their stories weave into the wider narrative.

An edited image of Josh Lawson as Kano in 2021’s Mortal Kombat with a green background.

Mortal Kombat 2is directed by Simon McQuoid and written by Jeremy Slater.

It Makes Sense To Keep Including Familiar Faces

Since so many popular characters inMortal Kombat 2were already dead by the end of the first movie, introducing the NetherRealm gives the films a perfect explanation to recycle old fighters. While it slightly dampens the permanence of the deaths in the first movie, it’s still accurate to the structure of the games and the use of realms overall. How it will play into the story moving forward remains to be seen, especially as the next fighting tournament begins.

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