If I were to create a Mortal Kombat film.

I can see the whole series being told in separate trilogies. Like Star Wars. Most of the plot would be borrowed heavily from the original comic strip with bits added in to flesh out the characters. The movies in the past I feel always add too many characters. I feel that MK1 should only feature the characters that were in that game at the time. Liu Kang, Cage, Sonya, Kano, Raiden, Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Reptile, Shang Tsung, and Goro. With less characters you can flesh out each one and make each one something special. I would not introduce Kitana, Mileena, or Kung Lao until MK2. Jax is an exception, as he would only make a simple cameo in the beginning and end of the film to advance the plot. But he would not be present at all in the MK Tournament like Mk9 implied.

MK1 is the platform on which everything is built. If I were a screen writer or a director and was in charge of making a Mortal Kombat trilogy this is how I would do it. First the whole movie would be told in narrative by Raiden.

MK1, our three central characters are Liu Kang, Sonya, and Johnny Cage. They are the characters that are closest to being grounded in our concept of reality. A Shaolin Monk, Soldier, and Hollywood movie star are plausible in our paradigm of reality no? These three are the key characters in explaining the mythology and mysticism of Mortal Kombat. It would seem too far fetched and out there if we didn't have a reference point to compare to when we see the likes of a hell spawned ninja, a god who shoots thunder, an ice creating assassin, and an old sorcerer who can change his appearance at will. I feel that the main theme in Mortal Kombat is "choosing your destiny" this is an adage to Liu Kang's arc who was raised his whole life to be the chosen warrior and save Earth by winning Mortal Kombat. Liu Kang in my eyes is a reluctant hero and embodies what it means to be a mortal. He has doubts, fears, and does not want that responsibility. That's why he leaves to live in America. In the tournament Liu Kang learns that he has to accept his fate and for the greater good and the survival of his world has to win.

Johnny Cage is a character who his whole life he had everything he ever wanted. He's a young, hotshot, playboy who can't accept the fact that people think he's a fraud. He has to be the best and that is why he enters the Mortal Kombat tournament. Johnny Cage is a flawed character in the fact that through his successes in the regular world he is insecure with the idea of being a failure and inferior. When he enters the tournament and it turns out to be a contest in life and death. Johnny Cage learns to let go of that fear and puts his trust in others for a cause that is greater than his own.

Sonya is a character who is fueled by vengeance to the point where she is blind to everything around her. Jax is present in introducing Sonya to us. She works for Jax who constantly tells her she needsto be rational. Sonya is merely out to get Kano who was on the run and stumbles upon the tournament as a way to hide from her. Both Sonya and Kano get caught up in something that is much bigger than themselves. Sonya gets herself and her team captured and are forced to fight in the tournament. Because of Sonya's brash decision she has to watch her team die one by one as they lose in the tournament. This is the point in which Sonya has a change of heart and for once let's go of her hate for Kano and believes in what Mortal Kombat is all about.

I feel that Sub-Zero's arc would play a great side plot to the game, he is not one of the main heroes but he's the tragic hero in MK1. He's the anti-hero of the first game. Sub-Zero is a mystery to the the other fighters but you learn that he is only there to kill Shang Tsung and he wanted to retire. I feel that the Sub-Zero in MK1 would be used to create development for the Sub-Zero introduced in MK2. The heroes thought the MK1 Sub-Zero was a bad guy but you find out after his death that he wasn't so. More on that in MK2.

You need to have MK1 end on a cliffhanger. Liu Kang, Sonya, and Cage climb through the ranks of the tournament as well as Sub-Zero, Scorpion, and Kano. Sub-Zero is to face Liu Kang but Scorpion challenges Sub-Zero before he gets the chance. Sub-Zero gets killed in battle and Scorpion banishes himself back to hell. Sonya faces Kano and when she is ordered to kill Kano in MK1 she refuses and demands that Kano is going to be held respsonsible for all the death he caused. Liu Kang and Johnny Cage face off in the semi-finals and Liu Kang beats Cage. Shang Tsung demands that Liu Kang kill Johnny Cage but the two became friends and Liu kang defies Shang Tsung's wishes as an insult to him. Because Liu Kang spares Johnny Cage the favor gets returned when Reptile is ordered to kill Liu Kang from the shadows. Johnny Cage intercepts Reptile and the two fight with Cage winning.

Goro appears and the final battle for Mortal Kombat takes place. Liu Kang emerges victorious and Shang Tsung enraged orders his men to kill everyone. All hell breaks loose. and the warriors wind up fighting for their lives and attempt to escape the island. Throughout the whole story Raiden never lifts a finger but it's in this moment where we get to see his godlike powers as he takes on everyone while he helps the good guys flee. Liu Kang tracks down Shang Tsung and they have their final showdown. Liu Kang ultimately beats Shang Tsung with the flying kick and when he is on top of him and ready to land the finishing blow he pities Shang Tsung and spares his life, a decision he would have a hard time living with in MK2.

The island begins to get absorbed by Outworld Johnny Cage, Kano, and Sonya attempt to flee but are stopped by Goro who wants blood for his failure. The three fend off Goro but both Goro, Sonya, and Kano get sucked into a portal as a platform crumbles beneath them. Johnny Cage thinks Sonya dead and before he gets to mourn her death Raiden appears out of nowhere and saves him from the collapsing island.

In the end we see Johnny Cage floating in the ocean by himself when a military warship approaches him. On the deck we see Jax with his arms crossed and his men in a jet raft come to extract him.

The movie ends with Raiden narrating that this is only the beginning. You see the Dragon Symbol, the Mortal Kombat logo and then credits.

Post Credits scene. You see Shang Tsung in chains approaching a colliseum with an orange sky. He has things thrown at him and is flung to the feet of a large figure. (Shao Kahn) who's face we don't see. Goro's father is present who demands that Shang Tsung be executed for the death of his son. In this scene we're only focused on Shang Tsung's face who expresses many emotions of fear, shock, and then turns his expressions into a sinister grin as he explains that he did no lose his stake in Earhtrealm. Shao Kahn asks "What is this plan you speak of" Shang Tsung talks about luring the heroes out to Outworld and tricking the Elder gods. We then see Shao Kahn's face with a smile on it and he simply says "Continue"

End.

I know this is a speedy draft of what Im imagining but I feel that if a MK movie stays faithful to the actual characters It would be an amazing smash hit at the box office.