Karl Urban Explains Why Mortal Kombat 2's Johnny Cage Differs from the Games

The long-awaited Mortal Kombat 2 movie is finally here, introducing Karl Urban's take on the iconic Johnny Cage. But what made him say yes to the role?

IGN recently spoke with Urban, star of The Boys and The Lord of the Rings, about his decision. His answer was surprising, given the cocky, Hollywood persona fans know from the games and previous films.

“What made this an easy yes was reading the script and seeing that Jeremy [Slater, MK2's writer] wisely steered away from the classic ego-driven Johnny Cage we know from all the games and movies,” Urban explained.

“He stripped the character back, starting him at a point where he’s neglected his martial arts training,” Urban continued. “His career is in the tank. He has zero self-confidence. And at this low point, he’s called upon by Raiden and Sonya to save the world. I thought that was cool, interesting, and relatable because we’ve all been down in the dumps. The writing had a lot of heart, setting it apart from being just a fight movie.”

Urban admitted he knew the weight of the role. “I definitely felt the pressure,” he said. “When I got cast, I told my two sons—who I actually played the game with, my first intro to Mortal Kombat—‘Hey guys, I’m going to be Johnny Cage.’ They said, ‘Oof… Big fan base. Don’t f**k it up.’”

Mortal Kombat has been known for its violent fights for over 30 years. Does this more measured Johnny Cage signal a softer side? Maybe not, but the cast is diving deep into their characters beyond fatalities.

Jax actor Mehcad Brooks revealed he “sat with my therapist for about six sessions to figure out why he was who he was” before filming the sequel, after struggling with fight scenes in the first movie. “I like to overthink a character and then underplay them,” he said. “In the first film, I didn’t know if I belonged in the fighting scenes. That was the hard part.”

Mortal Kombat 2 hits theaters May 8, 2026.