The upcoming Mortal Kombat feature film reboot has officially been delayed by one more week. Warner Brothers announced the change in schedule to accommodate other releases. The postponement will impact domestic theatrical and streaming release. Read on for details:

Variety reports the late change to the heavily promoted April 16th date is in consideration for Warner's other imminent tentpole release: Godzilla vs Kong.

Success of the monster crossover in international markets has buoyed optimism for tomorrow's theatrical rollout in the United States, So far the blockbuster kaiju big battle has netted $121 million dollars overseas, with a sizeable $70 million dollar taking in China. Warners hopes to avoid "cannibalizing ticket sales" by putting an extra week between the action spectacles.

[Related Article: War & Super Powers in New Mortal Kombat TV Spots]

The impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic continues to be felt, but glimpses of normalcy are slowly returning, with the recent return of trades for cinemas in Los Angeles. Mortal Kombat is still slated for a simultaneous streaming premier on HBO Max.

Mortal Kombat will now officially premier on April 23rd. Download the MKO App via App Store or Google Play and stay up-to-date with the release by subscribing to the calendar. Share reactions to this and other stories in the Media & Merchandise forum. Special thanks to kommunity user gosoxtim869 for sharing this story!

The Mortal Kombat promos are coming thick and fast as the countdown to April 16th draws near! Some countries may be fortunate enough to see the movie a little sooner when the "great war" unlocks fighters' super power within. Watch:

The mythology of the war between Earthrealm and Outworld takes centre stage as we see more of the warriors from the two worlds. Goro emerges with a roar, Shang Tsung (Chin Han) looks commanding, Sub-Zero continues to wreak havoc in familiar clips, and Shao Kahn appears in a painting depicting the ancient struggle between realms.

Kano (Josh Lawson) also wants to know if he'll develop superpowers while training with the fire throwing Liu Kang (Ludi Lin). As outlined in the pfficial synopsis, fighters will uncover the soul power of "arcana" in the movie.

[Related Article: Mortal Kombat Reportedly Most Watched Red Band Trailer]

Fans and enthusiast curators continue to uncover TV spots as they emerge around the world, revealing glimpses of new footage and characters, such as Nitara. The clips posted to YouTube by Captain 60FPS [embedded above] include sub-titles that appear to confirm an early April 9th theatrical release in Thailand.

Thailand has had a special relationship with Mortal Kombat on screen ever since the 1995 production filmed iconic scenes at historical sites around Sukhothai and Ayutthaya. Most of the world can look forward to an official broad theatrical release April 16th.

Download the MKO App via App Store or Google Play to subscribe to the Kombat Kalendar and interact with more of the kommunity in the Media & Merchandise forum! Special thanks to MK Online user gorostilllives for posting about this story.

Actor Ludi Lin becomes legendary Shaolin warrior Liu Kang in next month's Mortal Kombat movie, but before he defends Earthrealm from the supernatural threat of Outworld -- he's taking on the real world challenge of racial discrimination & violence, with WarnerMedia. Watch:

The #StopAsianHate public service message features an assortment of prominent Asian WarnerMedia personalities, including AT&T CEO Anne Chow, the Liu Kang actor, and celebrated artist turned DC Comics Publisher and Chief Creative Officer, Jim Lee, who is best known to Mortal Kombat fans for his Injustice designs for Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Raiden.

The message is a response to a surge in hate crimes over the last year in the United States. Along with the message to stop discrimination, WarnerMedia has reportedly committed $7 million dollars to community outreach programs. The PSA includes ways the public can contribute to the Asian American Chamber of Commerce and Asian Americans Advancing Justice.

Fellow Mortal Kombat star Lewis Tan recently auctioned a photographic print to raise money for the cause, echoing sentiments of support shared by Kung Lao actor Max Huang.

Mortal Kombat co-creator and Creative Director of NetherRealm Studios, Ed Boon, has also leant his support via social media, sharing the corporate Twitter post with the hashtag ##StopAsianHate. He urged fans to "Stop & ReTweet".

Related Article: Mortal Kombat Movie Trailer Delivers Action]

Mortal Kombat boasts an authentic Asian cast, including Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion, Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero, and Chin Han as Shang Tsung. The movie is officially released in theatres April 16th with same-day HBO Max streaming in the United States.

In late 2014 Warner Brothers announced production of a tie-in webseries for then-upcoming video game sequel Mortal Kombat X. It was to be the follow-up to live-action series Mortal Kombat: Legacy II, but as most fans will know -- it was never released. Cinematographer Nathan Haugaard has lifted the lid on the ill fated show, releasing unprocessed video to the internet! Watch:

According to director Garrett Warren; the webseries was slated for release as late as 2016 -- almost two years after stars Casper Van Dien and Mark Dacascos teased training for the return. It never eventuated, but photographs of Kung Jin and Scorpion & Erron Black eventually hit the web.

The raw footage released to Nathan Haugaard's Vimeo page doesn't have finished sound or effects, but finally reveals scenes from location photos released by actor Lewis Tan, as well as a leaked callsheet and casting information.

The first scene in the footage features Casper Van Dien's Johnny Cage, who returns from Legacy II as a father playfully running his five-year old daughter Cassie Cage (Morgan Sticke) through punching bags, board breaking, and other light training.

He then visits Shang Tsung (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa) in a special holding cell designed to neutralize his powers. Tsung is being use, presumably by the Special Forces, for information about fight clubs in pursuit of an unidentified killer. This takes Cage to an underground tournament where he's forced to battle a live-action version of Ferra/Torr (Jade Quon & Jama Duff). The dynamic fight sees the tandem overpower Johnny, but the thought of his daughter rallies him to finish it with what might've been an X-ray strike and shadow kick with finished effects.

Next Kung Jin (Lewis Tan) wanders a country road in search of the Wu Shi Academy. He encounters Golden Globe nominee Eric Roberts in the role of a drunk obscuring road signs. It soon becomes apparent the drunk is actually the master Bo' Rai Cho, who throws away Kung Jin's staff, borrowed from cousin Kung Lao, and leads him to the temple for training, suggesting archery.

The final sequence shows young adult Cassie Cage (Haley Lu Richardson) and Jacqui Briggs (Pepi Sonuga) infiltrating a facility with heavy arms under order of Gen. Sonya Blade. It becomes apparent the Black Dragon have set up a trap, but when Sonya orders them out it's too late! After a brief shoot out Kano (Gary Daniels) arrives to capture them!

[Related Article: Mortal Kombat Movie Trailer Delivers Action]

Though incomplete, the webseries footage shows an ambitious effort to move the live-action narrative forward after Kevin Tancharoen's departure. There is no doubt still plenty of footage unseen, including scenes with Ray Park as Erron Black opposite a Mortal Kombat X game-accurate Scorpion.

It remains to be seen if the Mortal Kombat X webseries will ever receive and official release, but one of its stars will reach the screen when Lewis Tan features as Cole Young in the upcoming Mortal Kombat movie! Enter the Media & Merchandise forum for more news & discussion and share your thoughts about the unreleased webseries in the comments below!

A new selection of Mortal Kombat TV spots has hit the internet offering morsels of unseen footage and brief glimpses of some familiar attacks and characters. Read on for details and mind the spoilers:

The latest promo clips follow four other TV spots with renewed focus on the battle between Hiroyuki Sanada Scorpion and Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero. Their conflict includes the growling utterance of a certain much-discussed catchphrase, but this time also reveals the unthinkable detail of Sub-Zero catching Scorpion's spear!

The trailer also reveals the first sighting of vampire character Nitara! The bat-winged warrior glides onto a golden statue overlooking a courtyard or arena. The character first appeared in 2002's Deadly Alliance before fading into obscurity. She recently made a cameo in the animated feature Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge and was previously revealed to be played by Elissa Cadwell.

Also of note are new scenes that show a looming Shokan warrior statue wielding four statues, Mileena baring more of her fangs, and Sonya Blade executing a game-inspired pink ring blast! Click the thumbnails above to see those moments or watch the embedded video.

Mortal Kombat is less than one month away! Subscribe to the calendar countdown and download the MKO App via App Store or Google Play to receive notices! Are you excited by what's in the trailer? Share your thoughts in the comments below and find more stories in the Media & Merchandise forum! Special thanks to MK Online User trynax for sharing this link!

The Mortal Kombat movie is less than a month away -- and once you've seen the movie you'll be able to display four of your favourite fighters in Pop! form! Funko has unveiled four new characters from the film with metallic finish and a fifth chase figure! Take a look:

The new wave of movie-inspired vinyl doll sculpts features Cole Young, Sonya Blade, Scorpion, and Sub-Zero. Each captures designs that will be featured in the movie, simplified in the trademark Funko super-deformed style. Click to enlarge preview images below:

You can pre-order Pop! vinyl dolls directly from Funko for $11.00 each by selecting Cole Young, Sonya Blade, Scorpion, or Sub-Zero and checking out. Order Scorpion and there's a 1 in 6 chance you'll find a Limited Edition Chase variant with unmasked face [pictured below].

The online store has also relisted Liu Kang from the Klassic Mortal Kombat Wave 2 series, and previously GameStop exclusive Raiden with Lightning variant for a premium $15.00. Get 'em while you can!

Mortal Kombat is coming to theatres and HBO Max streaming on April 16th! Save the date with the MK Online calendar and catch-up with the official red band trailer! Which fighters would you like to see Pop! next? Share your thoughts in the comments below and find & discuss more stories in the Media & Merchandise forum!

As one of the first game's iconic fighters Johnny Cage had an integral role in the 1995 big screen adaptation, but don't look for him in the latgest Mortal Kombat feature film. The klassic kombatant has been conspicuous by absence, and producer Todd Garner has explained why. Read on:

CBR reports that the brash and arrogant moviestar character was sidelined to avoid a clash with similar personality traits exhibited by the film's version of Kano. Todd Garner explained the thinking during a round table.interview.

The reason we held back on Johnny Cage is because he's a very egotistical guy, he's a scoundrel, he's funny, he's bigger-than-life...and so is Kano. So are we going to have two guys competing and trying to [be funnier or more egotistical] or do you hold Johnny Cage because, God willing, we're able to do another one?

The two characters successfully coinhabited the big screen in the much-loved 1995 feature film, which featured Kano in his role as a primary antagonist. As seen in the red band trailer and explained in the director's breakdown, Kano will provide comic relief, apparently spending more time with the heroes of Earthrealm.

Garner also further elaborated on previous statements about the removal of Rain from the script.

Rain and Reptile? They both cloak and you don't want two cloaking guys; first of all, it's expensive and, second, they do the same thing. You unwind it that way, with people we can see later. There are also characters with such complicated backstories with other characters, you want to give them more service.

Rain is an Edenian demi-god best known for his power to control water. The character recently made his DLC return in Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate. The character does not traditionally share Reptile's ability to "cloak" himself from sight, but has been known to teleport through water puddles -- an effects intensive concept.

Mortal Kombat will be officially released theatrically on April 16th with same day streaming on HBO Max. Download the MKO App via App Store and Google Play to subscribe to the calendar countdown! Find and discuss more stories in the Media & Merchandise forum!

Irregular cult-favourite Kabal is about to feature in the Mortal Kombat movie, and according to series co-creator John Tobias -- he's an underrated character ready to be explored. Tobias revealed more about Kabal's backstory, including his original role in Mortal Kombat: Special Forces. Read on for details:

Kabal has recently been included in a promotional banner and TV Spot for the movie. Asked about his creation's impending mainstream exposure; John Tobias shared his thoughts via Twitter, delving into the character's iconic history, and some of the lost inspirations that went into informing the mystery man behind the mask.

He confirmed intentions for Kabal to become a crime-fighting vigilante as described in his Mortal Kombat 3 arcade ending [pictured above]. The about-face for the former Black Dragon clansman was meant to reflect a deeper moral ambiguity that existed within the character before the events of his MK3 introduction.

According to Tobias, this was originally intended to be explored in the action-adventure prequel Mortal Kombat: Special Forces. He explained: "In the old MKSF story (which takes place before MK1-3) Kabal wanted out of the Black Dragon and worked as an informant for Sonya and Jax’s Special Forces unit."

Insert Coin director, and former Midway Games developer, Josh Tsui released a deleted scene from the game that shows Kabal in a tense stand-off with Black Dragon leader Kano [embedded below]. The sequence reveals both the ambition of the game's original story, and some of Kabal's moral conflict.

Watch: Kano & Kabal MKSF Deleted Scene | Special Forces Intro Sequence

As John Tobias explained in an interview with MKO Online, the ill fated 2000 spin-off "... needed a lot more work, and pushing its release back would've jeopardized our ability to hit the sweet spot for a next gen development deal. That created a difficult situation."

The result was a heavily stripped back version released exclusively to the PlayStation. Kabal was conspicuous by absence, leading some to speculate an additional character, seen escaping maximum security with the other stage bosses in the opening FMV, could be Kabal. The goateed character can be seen in the scene above.

Tobias also resminisced about the fun of seeing Kabal's story adapted in the animated series, and expressed confidence in the upcoming feature film and their interpretation of the character.

I see that Kabal is in the new MK film. I know that the makers are big on authenticity and feel that the characters are one of the series’ most important elements... will be exciting to see how they layer in a complex character like Kabal... (8/9)

— John Tobias (@therealsaibot) March 17, 2021

Film previews show Kabal on the side of Shang Tsung and his Outworld loyal warriors, and fighting Liu Kang during the red band trailer. Kabal donned his mask after suffering brutal injuries at the hands of Shao Kahn's Outworld extermination squads, but as Tobias generously notes, "We did not detail the attack, we only implied that it was gruesome enough to leave him disfigured".

We also never describe how Kabal survived or where he got the respirator that keeps him alive. In part because we had limited places to tell story in the old arcade games, but also because it gave him a mysterious quality, which I felt added much more to his character... (6/9)

— John Tobias (@therealsaibot) March 17, 2021

The new Mortal Kombat movie is officially released theatrically on April 16th, with same day streaming on HBO Max in the United States. Download the MKO App via App Store or Google Play to join the calendar countdown. Find and more stories by joining the Kommunity Forums!

Actor Lewis Tan has auctioned a limited print capturing a moment from his final day of filming Mortal Kombat in Adelaide, South Australia. The black & white image has been sold to raise funds for the AAPI Community fund and awareness for violence and discrimination against Asians in America.

The photographic print is titled "Baptism By Fire" and shows Lewis Tan entering the South Indian Ocean in the dark of midnight. The dramatic collectible has raised $543.85 on Rarible. The image can be seen below with Tan's own explanation.

This exclusive film print was taken in the South Indian Ocean, at midnight, on the day I finished filming "Mortal Kombat" in Adelaide, Australia. This definitive moment represents a new era, not only as a milestone for myself as an actor but for POC in cinema. The lead role in this film represents 20 years of hard work, struggle, rejection, pain and sacrifice. The fights in this film were performed by me, something of extreme rarity in this business, it was physically exhausting to say the least, I barely slept for months and I was in pain the entire time, I remember when I wrapped collapsing on the floor in tears. I went into the ocean that night to clean off the blood and sweat, to meditate and soak in the moment. The stars were out that night, I closed my eyes and lifted up my hands, grateful to the universe, thinking about all the overlooked talented kids out there that have never been given a chance, one day they can look and use this film as an example. You can accomplish anything, regardless of your circumstance or the color of your skin. A baptism of fire represents a painful new experience, a transition, or a soldiers first experience in battle. This was my first, and one of the first in history but it won't be the last. I will gladly take the battle wounds to help break down the walls that keep us from our collective and unlimited potential. This was taken on Fuji 35mm film, one of one.

Tan shared the auction via micro-blogging service Twitter on March 14th with the hashtag #StopAsianHate. He also retweeted a link to the AAPI Community Fund: a crowdfunding initiative designed to raise money for organizations working to address issues relating to an increase in violence and discrimination against Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders.

The social media topic has since exploded in the days following shootings in Georgia, where Asian businesses were targetted resulting in multiple deaths. State Representative Bee Nguyen expressed sentiments of concern, "We’re in a place where we’ve seen an increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans since the pandemic started."

The subject matter of Mortal Kombat doesn't lend itself well to matters concerning serious real world violence, but its iconic Asian characters, and participation in paying homage to Eastern mythology, provides an intuitive platform for diverse representation and discussion.

After the tragedy in Georgia; Lewis Tan shared an empathic story of his own lived experience, and a desire to see greater social change and an end to violence.

I have been dealing with violent racism my whole life, my father before me, it’s actually the reason why we started martial arts. This is nothing new unfortunately, we must be united in doing whatever we can to create change. I am angry too, but it starts with loving each other.

— Lewis Tan (@TheLewisTan) March 18, 2021

Max Huang, who plays Chinese Shaolin fighter Kung Lao in the upcoming movie, added his voice to earlier discussions, citing Mortal Kombat while sharing his own message of solidarity, and the movie's message of fighting for humanity.

To the Asian community,
To any community with people of color,
To the world,
It is not our right to stand for and represent our culture,
It is our duty to do so.
With Mortal Kombat, we lead by example. Together we fight for humanity, diversity, equality. We are the game changer.

— Max Huang (@themaxhuang) March 12, 2021

Mortal Kombat will be officially released theatrically on April 16th, with same day streaming on HBO Max available in the United States. The movie stars Lewis Tan as new creation Cole Young, with Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion, Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero, and Chin Han as Shang Tsung.

We're just one month away from the official release of Mortal Kombat! The 2021 cinematic reboot is coming soon to theatres where possible -- and a new poster featuring the cast is hyping the release. Take a look:

Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim) and Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada) loom large as two of the series' biggest icons, with new character for the movie Cole Young (Lewis Tan) getting pride of place slightly larger than the rest of the cast.

We've been seeing more from the movie as its arrival draws nearer. Along with the record setting red band trailer there've been four new TV spots, a dramatic banner advertisement, and character posters aplenty!

The theatrical release will be buoyed by reports of Los Angeles theatres returning to restricted trade, but only regions who haven't been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to be "only in cinemas". Producer Todd Garner addressed concerns over European screenings earlier this month, noting: "... [WB] are aware of the problem and looking for a solution."

[Related Article: Producer Todd Garner Goes Deep Into Making Mortal Kombat]

Mortal Kombat is officially released theatrically on April 16th, with same day streaming on HBO Max available in the United States. Download the MKO App via App Store or Google Play to join the calendar countdown and discuss more stories on the Media & Merchandise forum!

The Mortal Kombat hype train continues with four new TV spots showcasing the coming battles between good and evil. Scenes from the red band trailer play out in rapid succession with new previews of characters and action from the coming attraction! Watch it all right here:

The four TV spots have been cut together and posted to YouTube [embedded above], beginning with the voice of Ludi Lin as Liu Kang declaring "Mortal Kombat has begun." A fitting start to a flurry of fast cut fighting and action revisiting scenes featuring Scorpion, Sub-Zero and more from the ensemble cast!

New footage shows Cole Young (Lewis Tan) in a frozen cage-like environment squaring off with blade and baton weapons that extend over his forearms. He appears again in more footage opposite a leaping Goro, wearing the same unusually layered torso armor and weapons.

The trailer shows more of Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee) and her battles with Kano (Josh Lawson), Mileena (Sisi Stringer), and a camouflaged Reptile. Mileena also leads an unidentified bad guy speculated to be Reiko (Nathan Jones), and Kabal (Daniel Nelson).

Kabal was recently featured in a promotional banner on the side of Shang Tsung and other antagonists from the film. Originally introduced in Mortal Kombat 3, the ex-Black Dragon warrior wore a mask as part of ventilators that kept him alive after injuries sustained during Shao Kahn's invasion of Earthrealm. A morally flexible mercenary, Kabal has never held allegiance to Outworld in the games.

Mortal Kombat is coming soon in available cinemas and streaming to HBO Max. Download the MKO App via App Store or Google Play to subscribe to the April 16th calendar event and share your thoughts on this story with a like and comment below! Find & discuss more stories on the Media & Merchandise forum!

A new promotional banner for the upcoming Mortal Kombat movie has given us a fresh look at some of the main players representing good and evil. The posed hero art includes clear in-costume reveals for Cole Young and Kabal. Take a look:

Lewis Tan appeared opposite a leaping Goro in the official red band trailer wearing Cole Young's unique armored design, which can be seen in the banner. The same preview gave us a fleeting glimpse of Daniel Nelson as Kabal, who can be seen on the far right of the banner wearing the movie's take on his klassic masked design.

Between Cole and Kabal are: Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), Jax Briggs (Mehcad Brooks), Scorpion (Hiroyuki Sanada), Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim), Shang Tsung (Chin Han), and Mileena (Sisi Stringer). All of these characters were previously featured in solo character posters.

According to the official synopsis: Cole Young will encounter all of these fighters as he unlocks the secret of his lost heritage on the path to discovering the Mortal Kombat tournament. Shang Tsung's forces of darkness will attempt to destroy him and the warriors of Earthrealm as they train to compete in the ancient contest.

[Related Article: Producer Todd Garner Goes Deep Into Making Mortal Kombat]

Mortal Kombat is coming soon in available cinemas and streaming to HBO Max. Download the MKO App via App Store or Google Play to subscribe to the April 16th calendar event and share your thoughts on this story with a like and comment below! Find & discuss more stories on the Media & Merchandise forum!

Next month's Mortal Kombat movie will present the latest re-imagining of the legendary martial arts tournament and its conflict between two realms. The red band trailer gave us a glimpse of several threats coming from Outworld. We've seen Mileena in action and a new report is giving hope that her identitical twin might factor in somehow, as well. Read on for details:

Syfy Wire was one of many outlets to visit the Australian set more than a year ago. Most of what they saw has been revealed in the trailer and promotional posters, but they report seeing an unidentified blue outfit in in the costume department, and Kitana style fans displayed by prop master Lisa Brennan.

Kitana is absent from the official synopsis and related promotional offerings, making the weapon sighting the most compelling evidence of at least a cameo by the Edenian assassin princess.

Similar on set reference material seemingly spoiled the inclusion of Goro, Reptile, and Kabal in 2019. All three characters appear briefly in the red band trailer, with SyFy Wire also reporting seeing an animatronic tongue and hookswords amongst the prop paraphernalia.

Kitana was first introduced in Mortal Kombat II, quickly becoming a mainstay of heroic efforts to defeat the forces of Outworld in sequels, and multimedia. She was frequently opposed by arch-rival Mileena: a hybrid clone that looks identical to Kitana save for a mouth full of jagged Tarkatan teeth.

Sisi Stringer plays Mileena in the upcoming movie [pictured above], seemingly lacking her iconic toothy maw in the trailer, and promo posters. Special effects artist Larry von Duynhoven told Syfy Wire: "The finished look will have her mouth sort of disengage in the way that it does in the game."

It naturally remains to be seen if the identical nature of Mileena & Kitana leads to a dual role for Stringer, who is ethnically cast against type. Bond girl Talisa Soto originated the role of Kitana in the 1995 adaptation, while Olympian Dana Hee appeared as a masked Mileena in the sequel.

[Related Article: Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate Mileena Trailer]

Producer Todd Garner has discussed details of the omission of characters from the film's plot, confirming Edenian demigod, Rain, will not be appearing. Johnny Cage is also expected to be missing, although Syfy Wire quotes the producer saying: "I definitely will not say that there is no Johnny Cage in this movie".

Mortal Kombat is officially released in limited theatres and streaming to HBO Max in the United States on April 16th. Download the MKO App via App Store and Google Play to subscribe to the release event countdown and receive notifications to your device. Share your thoughts about this story in the comments below and find & discuss more in the Media & Merchandise forum!

Joe Taslim was one of the first actors publicly confirmed for the upcoming Mortal Kombat feature film and it was quickly revealed he'd be playing Bi-Han. In gaming lore he's fated to be killed and resurrected as Noob Saibot -- but will the elder Sub-Zero's transformation be as inevitable in the movie? Read on for the actor's answer:

Embargoes have apparently been lifted on interviews conducted during an Australian set visit all the way back in late 2019 -- unleashing a blitz of movie coverage! According to a newly released quote from Cinemablend, it seems Joe Taslim was thinking about Noob Saibot as far back as over a year ago!

In general, we both know that I play Bi-Han. We have two [S]ub-zeros, Bi-Han and Kuai Liang. Noob Saibot is Bi-Han, it’s not a secret. [Quan Chi] took the humanity of Bi-Han and turned him to Noob Saibot. We both know that from that story of Bi-Han, I mean, it’s on Google it’s not a secret, he has humanity inside of him and when he’s Noob Saibot, it’s just totally dark pitch black. You can see that in his character as Bi-Han when the movie is out. That’s it.

The comment stops short of outright confirming the transformation to "Noob Saibot" will occur in this movie, but eagle-eyed viewers of the official red band trailer will have noticed what looks like a dark Sub-Zero emerging from a puff of black smoke [pictured below].

Bi-Han's circumstances in the upcoming movie aren't quite as they were in gaming canon. He'll traverse several centuries from conflict in feudal Japan before appearing in the present day as Sub-Zero. Like the games, he'll renew his blood feud with Scorpion, but according to the official synopsis he'll be doing it while working for Shang Tsung as the movie's primary antagonist.

It's unclear if cryomancy will be Sub-Zero's means of existing for hundreds of years, or if other methods will justify his return, such as his involvement with the soul-wielding sorcerer. Script writer Greg Russo has stressed the development of his ice powers will not be tied to Shang Tsung.

Bi-Han's real name wasn't revealed until the 2011 video game reboot, which rewrote the saga of the first three games. Bi-Han's death was first revealed in a bombshell arcade ending from Mortal Kombat II [pictured below], while his resurrection as MKII's hidden wraith, "Noob Saibot", was retroactively explained in a Mortal Kombat: Deception ending.

[Related Article: Klassic Noob Saibot Mortal Kombat Mobile Trailers]

Arch-nemeses Sub-Zero & Scorpion feature on a new poster for the film. Do you think their battles will lead to the birth of Noob Saibot? Share your thoughts in the comments below! Find and discuss more stories from the movie on the Media & Merchandise forum ahead of the official release April 16th!

After what seemed like a long period of radio silence: a tidal wave of pre-promotion for the Mortal Kombat has been unleashed with long held embargoes lifting! A veritable carpet bombing of articles has resulted, with film producer Todd Garner revealing more about the creative details of making the movie and its evolutionarytimeline. Read on for details:

A decade ago Kevin Tancharoen teased excerpts from a reboot movie script that would've expanded upon his work on the significantly different world of low budget webseries Mortal Kombat: Legacy. Speaking with Collider, Todd Garner described the approach as "super dark and kind of like The Crow".

Tancharoen formally exited the project in 2013. Garner came on board as a producer some time around the year that followed, pushing the cinematic reboot toward higher loftier goals:

"Tancharoen's stuff was super contained; obviously, the guy was doing it on a shoestring budget, and it was very dark and kind of contained. And so when I read the script, they gave me the movie to work on, I [said], 'This isn't what we should do,' which was stupid, probably. I said, 'This isn't what we should do, we should really try to open this up.'"

This push towards a bigger cinematic design led to the much publicized recruitment of James Wan and an investment in a bigger picture. The Crow -- originally a comic book by James O'Barr -- would no longer be a comparison point, but the frequently emulated template of Marvel Studios and their mass market adaptation of comic book IP remained a common touchstone. Garner explained:

"Okay, if you were really gonna do this, and not just try to make it like The Crow, not just try to make it like Kevin did where he's like, 'Well, I only have this much money, so I'm gonna be in an apartment building with guys kicking the shit out of each other,' what would you do?' And so we started from the premise of, 'What would Marvel do?"

The Marvel movie method shaped development of the new script, but where Marvel relied on one of their most enduring and entrenched founding characters to initiate and anchor the Avengers franchise [Iron Man], Garner describes Liu Kang as a "weird [adjustment]". Elaborating on the premise, "So we said, 'Okay, maybe we just start neutral and come into the movie, and then really set up the canvas where we can meet all of the characters that people love."

Lewis Tan will carry some of that burden as Cole Young: a character created for the movie and central to the premise and first official trailer. Garner spoke with ComicBook.com about the controversial invention, explaining his role as an entry point for a movie audience: "... the worry is when you have such a deep piece of [IP]] like a video game that if you get too stuck in just the video game, you can sometimes ignore the rest of the world".

Despite the enduring legacy and popularity of the 1995 feature film directed by Paul W.S. Anderson; Garner questions whether the same approach -- a tournament based on the plot of the 1992 video game and often compared to Bruce Lee masterpiece Enter the Dragon -- would be too jarring and limiting in 2021.

"He sees the eyes of anyone who's never played the game, just to come in and go, ‘Oh, this is Kabal. Oh, this is Kano, oh this is Sonya Blade.’ As opposed to just jumping in and having a tournament and just sort of how the '95 movie did it. We felt like that might be a little limiting for people and be a little jarring for people. Kind of in the same way ... I think about Transformers, if you just loved that game, you can't just come in and have a bunch of robots. You have to have somebody coming in and narrating. I use that in air quotes. So that's the character Cole is playing. We're not trying to say he's a new character in the game, he's just used to start introduction into the world of Mortal Kombat."

Sadly, some characters won't make the cut, but not all omissions will be as surprising. Garner told ComicBook.com that Rain was briefly considered for the movie, "But Reptile's sort of like Rain and so it's like... And that was just a weird fight [...] So we had to pull that character out, which is like, that wouldn't have been a [main] character anyway." He explained the vetting process to Collider, noting the differences between playing a game and watching a movie:

"I always like to say to people, 'Who do you normally play?' And them I'm like, 'Welp, okay! That movie is not this one!' But we tried to really get the right characters in, and tried to be intelligent about [whether] we were just throwing characters in just to have them in the movie so we can placate people, or do they really belong in the movie."

[Related Article: Johnny Cage In Doubt For Mortal Kombat Movie]

The red band trailer has reportedly become the most watched in YouTube history! Are you excited about their approach to the material? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Mortal Kombat officially comes to limited tehatres and streaming premiere on HBO Max on April 16th! Download the MKO App via App Store and Google Play to subscribe to the release day event and receive notifications to your device! Find and discuss more stories in the Media & Merchandise forum.

From the legendary game soundtracks by Dan Forden to the techno of albums inspired by the warriors: there's a strong tradition of music and Mortal Kombat! The newest movie trailer brought back an old favourite, but it also introduces us to sounds from a new source. Take a listen:

There are a few folks in music answering to the n ameVWLS, but this one brought ominous tones to one of the most watched red band trailers in YouTube history! Listen to their song Emergence below to be taken back to soundscape of that impactful first preview!

The Mortal Kombat trailer also featured an obligatory sting inspired by Techno Syndrome: the song first recoreded as part of Mortal Kombat: The Album, and used memorably in the 1995 feature film. A song we'll no doubt be hearing more of in the future.

[Related Article: Watch: Mortal Kombat 11 New Era Launch Trailer]

Mortal Kombat officially arrives in limited release theatrically and streaming to HBO Max on April 16th. Download the MKO App via App Store and Google Play and subscribe to the calendar event to receive notifications. Share your thoughts about the VWLS song in the comments below and find more stories in the Media & Merchandise forum! Special thanks to MK Online user gorostilllives for posting this to the forum!