that Mortal Kombat The franchise has a pretty mixed track record when it comes to live-action adaptations. 1995s Mortal Kombat It was a pretty big box office hit at the time, and although reviews were mixed at the time, it's since gained quite a devoted cult following. 1997 sequel Mortal Kombat AnnihilationOn the other hand, it is widely regarded as one of the worst movies of all time.
Although a short-lived show was released in 1998; Mortal Kombat: ConquestThe franchise won't see another full-length live-action film until 2021. Mortal KombatThe project received mixed reviews from critics and fans alike. But whether you receive it or not, 2021's Mortal Kombat is set to receive a sequel later this year, and if it takes a few risks in certain areas, it could lead to some interesting opportunities for NetherRealm's next game.
![Liu Kang and his minions as featured in the Season of the Dark Dragon introduction in Mortal Kombat 1 Invasion.](https://static0.gamerantimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/mortal-kombat-1-season-of-the-dark-dragon-intro.jpg)
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Whenever a new Mortal Kombat game is released, MK1 is bound to receive one change.
Before moving on completely to the next game in the series, Mortal Kombat 1 may end the game with a welcome note for loyal players.
Mortal Kombat 2 may want to take some risks with its character designs.
Mortal Kombat 2 needs to strike a good balance with its costumes.
Getting video game character designs right in live action is very tricky. This is especially true for games like: Mortal Kombat's roster includes ninjas in tunics, otherworldly beings of disproportionate size, cyborgs in armor, and celebrities in suits. These mixed designs work well in fighting games, but when used together in live action they can feel a bit bizarre.
This has left many live-action video games stuck between a rock and a hard place. On the other hand, if costume designers create costumes that are too accurate to the source material, they run the risk of looking too contrived in the actual locations of the film. However, if designers go too far in the opposite direction and make character designs too realistic, they are prone to criticism that they look too generic and lose the identity of the source material.
2021 Mortal Kombat It struck a pretty good balance between these two possibilities, providing character designs that were familiar, yet realistic enough to fit the film's more fundamental aesthetic. But if Mortal Kombat 2 We're adding some new characters, and they'll be facing the same scrutiny once again.
Mortal Kombat 2, with its bold new character designs, may have some advantages.
At first Mortal Kombat's character designs worked quite well overall, and the upcoming sequel could benefit from some if it takes a more bold approach. For example, if Mortal Kombat 2 Putting a truly unique twist on a classic character's costume (without changing too much of the core features of the original design) will immediately give the sequel a distinct identity and give fans a new reason to see another story. It could be a very familiar Mortal Kombat tournament story.
Giving fans a bold new character design could also give developer NetherRealm a clearer opportunity to add alternate costumes based on the sequel. Mortal Kombat 1 Will there still be an active player base by the end of the year, or will there finally be Mortal Kombat 1 The successor is much further down.