Coming Spring to digital distributors; Mortal Kombat is an anthology of ten live-action episodes, expected to run approximately seven to ten minutes each. They are the genesis of director Kevin Tancharoen's efforts to reinvigorate the celluloid image of the MK franchise, famously established on screen by Paul Anderson, with his 1995 feature release of the same name.

While Jeri Ryan has thoroughly confirmed her involvement (as Sonya Blade) through frequent activity on her Twitter account [full story], a full press release from Warner Premiere has reconfirmed the return of of Michael Jai White (Spawn, The Dark Knight) as Major Jackson "Jax" Briggs, along with English actor, Darren Shahlavi, in the upcoming digitally distributed series, Mortal Kombat.

WB's press release for the Mortal Kombat digital series project is featured in full below:

Warner Premiere today announced initial casting for their upcoming live-action digital new media series "Mortal Kombat" which is based on the iconic gaming franchise. Jeri Ryan, ("Star Trek: Voyager") will reprise her role as the headstrong "Lieutenant Sonya Blade” from the unofficial fan short. She is joined by Michael Jai White ("The Dark Knight") as "Major Jackson 'Jax' Briggs" and Darren Shahlavi ("300") as the sly and cunning "Kano."

Kevin Tancharoen who directed and produced the popular, unofficial "Mortal Kombat: Rebirth" fan short (watch below) that garnered over 10 million views worldwide, is bringing the same immersive directing style to this live-action digital new media series. Fans will be able to delve deep into the history of the warriors they know and love including "Sub-Zero" and "Scorpion." Shooting for "Mortal Kombat" is currently underway in Vancouver.

"It's extremely gratifying to have such talented actors playing these iconic roles," said Kevin Tancharoen, Director, Producer and Co-Writer of "Mortal Kombat." "They will bring the essence of 'Mortal Kombat' to life and gamers will be deeply immersed into the game's universe."

"Mortal Kombat" is one of the most celebrated videogame franchises of all time. Since its debut in 1992, it has spawned four arcade games, multiple console-based videogame titles, two movies ("Mortal Kombat" and "Mortal Kombat: Annihilation"), two television series and an animated prequel. Additionally, a new "Mortal Kombat" video game developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Ent. will be available April 19, 2011 on the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.

Written by Kevin Tancharoen, Aaron Helbing and Todd Helbing, and available online this spring from Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, the "Mortal Kombat" digital new media series is an anthology of multiple live action shorts. Each episode will provide never-before-revealed insights into characters featured in the upcoming videogame as well as the game's universe.

"Mortal Kombat," the newest chapter of the award-winning videogame franchise, will be on store shelves starting April 19th, 2011. Marking a triumphant return to the series' mature presentation and a reinvention of its classic 2D fighting mechanic, "Mortal Kombat" will introduce a number of new game-play features including tag team, a deeper story mode and nostalgic online and offline arcade battles. Players will be able to choose from an extensive lineup of iconic warriors and challenge their friends in head-to-head competition as well as several new game modes.

Darren Shahlavi, confirmed to star as longtime rival of Jax and Sonya, Kano, is an English actor featured in films such as 300 and Ip Man 2. In addition, he's no stranger to films video games, having appeared in both Alone in the Dark and BloodRayne, as well as providing motion capture for titles such as GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Dragon Age: Origins, and EA Sports MMA. Shahlavi's martial arts credentials follow up on the emphasis on action from many crew members, which include hints that the longtime rivalry between Kano and Sonya will continue in this project.

Darren Shahlavi in the 2010 Hong Kong feature, Ip Man 2

Update Feb. 14: Ian Anthony Dale, on break from filming TV series The Event, has joined the Twitter stampede. The actor will step into the covetted role of Hanzo Hasashi -- the ninja who, in the games, becomes Scorpion. On his transition, Dale notes:

After a week of awesome shooting on #theevent I am back to obsessing over my Japanese for #MortalKombat. Got to be perfect.

Update Feb. 14: A battle damaged Jeri Ryan appears with Vancouver TV personality, Victor Lucas, in the latest MK set photos from the Twittverse! Ryan herself also provides a great shot from the smokey set, kitted out for action as Sonya Blade!

Jeri Ryan has been one busy actress...

With a career in film and television spanning twenty years; Ryan has acted in starring roles in many successful primetime dramas, including Dark Skies, Boston Public, Shark, The OC, and Law & Order: SVU. For some, she will be best remembered as the cult sci-fi heroine of more than one hundred episodes -- Seven of Nine, from TV's Star Trek: Voyager. An impressive body of work by any measure, but for fans of a certain conccurently running twenty-year video game franchise, about to pale in comparison to a ten episode, digitally distributed series!

Ryan's association with Mortal Kombat began in June, with the online leak of a high-quality production demo called Mortal Kombat: Rebirth [full story]. The eight minute clip, directed by Kevin Tancharoen (Fame, DanceLife), presented a stark reinterpretation of the MK mythos, with a bent toward over-the-top, gritty urban adaptation. Acting opposite action favourite, Michael Jai White (Spawn, Black Dynamite), during interrogation scenes led by his Jax ; Ryan completed the Special Forces duo as a file wielding, business suited Sonya Blade.

For fans concerned the former Miss Illinois will be a paper pushing wallflower version of the fighting Lieutenant, Jeri Ryan has provided pictorial documentation of her action packed role! Via Twitter, the actress promises "ass is being kicked," showing off battle scars from her kombat experience, which includes kicking the occasional door on the Vancouver location shoot, as well!

Photographs from the Vancouver Abandoned Asylum Set!

With Warner Premiere's official press release describing Rebirth as an "unofficial fan short" [full story], it remains to be seen if the digitally distributed series will relate to Tancharoen's job winning reel, or veer closer to the canon of the video game characters fans "know and love".

When Mortal Kombat Online asked Jeri Ryan if she could give us clues about the nature of her role and it's relation to the games, she said, "Can't tell [you] specifics, but it is BAD ASS."

It's one of several messages from the star, who seems very enthusiastic about the quality of the project and it's action -- which won't just boast kick ass martial arts, but also small munitions!

@JeriLRyan tweets from Mortal Kombat:
"BTW, just finished reading the whole script for Mortal Kombat. Holy crap... I think u might just love it. Get ready..."^[1] "I get to channel my inner action hero. ;-)"^[2] posted February 7.

"Don't have any info yet. Will let u guys know when I do"^[3] posted February 9.

"Def top secret right now. Not supposed to talk about it! :-|"^[4] posted February 10.

"... as I limp around & soak in Epsom salts baths. Being an action hero ain't easy...! ;-)..."^[5] "Ok - the temporary gag is (partially) off! I can start tweeting about Mortal Kombat. I will tell u this: Ass is being kicked."^[6] "Jeri Ryan returns to sci-fi to kick some ass in Mortal Kombat http://t.co/jhwm3k8 via @blastr"^[7] "My action face ;-) http://yfrog.com/h6v1rxj"^[8] "Just watched a crazy-awesome special fx shot! Just wait, gang...just wait. #mortalkombat #awesome"^[9] "Ok, off to bed now. Up early for more fun with Sonya Blade. ;-) ..."^[10] posted February 11.

"Ooooookay then...So, we're shooting in a mental institution which is apparently haunted. Had 5 separate crew members warn me already. Cool."^[11] "In other words, another day at the office."^[12] "So how's your day...? http://yfrog.com/h4unxmjj"^[13] "Wow. Another first. Never had fake pit-sweat added before. It's a glamorous life, folks."^[14] "Wrapped early tonight! Sadly, no ghost sightings, but I did get to kick a door in, so that made up for it. ;-) http://yfrog.com/h4rhrbvj"^[15] posted February 12.

Jeri Ryan isn't the only member of the Mortal Kombat crew posting their experiences on Twitter! Vancouver based Director of Photography, C. Kim Miles (@VancouverDP) adds a tantalizing tease about the series' action...

"Fight choreography is looking FANTASTIC! Mortal Kombat begins tomorrow!!!" "Rushing headlong into MK day 3. Gunfire, grenades, martial arts, Michael Jai White and Jeri Ryan. Oh yeah..."

We can report that Leslie Cairns (@BuggyBag), costume maker for the project, has also confirmed the inclusion of Sindel in the series! She made reference to constructing costumes for the "Queen" in one of her posts [based on designs by Alissa Swanson], clarifying the position in a later response. Does this confirm an Edenia similar to the one of the games? That information is yet to present itself.

Warner Premiere today announced development of a live-action digital series based on the best-selling Mortal Kombat videogame franchise. Directed by Kevin Tancharoen, known for his popular unofficial fan short Mortal Kombat: Rebirth which garnered over 10 million views online, and in conjunction with the upcoming Mortal Kombat videogame, this action-packed, digital series will take gamers deep into the history of warriors they know and love such as Scorpion, Johnny Cage and Liu Kang. Shooting for the digital series will take place in Vancouver starting in early February.

Available this spring through online digital retailers from Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, the Mortal Kombat digital series is an anthology of multiple live action shorts, each providing never-before-revealed insights into characters featured in the upcoming videogame as well as the game’s universe. Additional details, including casting, will be announced in the coming weeks.

Warner Premiere has today issued an official press release to announce their upcoming ten episode, live-action digital series based on Mortal Kombat. A formality to confirm what was already widely reported January 15th; the release reiterates Kevin Tancharoen's role as director of the shorts, with filming set to start in Vancouver this February.

In reference to Tancharoen's work on the well known Mortal Kombat: Rebirth viral video [full story], the press release makes deliberate note of it's status as an "unofficial fan short." The ten episodes are also described as revealing unseen history regarding the characters fans "know and love", suggesting the digital series may have much closer ties to the video game canon than the urbanized versions seen in Rebirth.

June last year, seven minutes and forty-nine seconds of video had the entire gaming internet and MK fan kommunity buzzing [full story]. Mortal Kombat: Rebirth was ultimately the work of Kevin Tancharoen: a director looking to develop a radical reimagining of the Mortal Kombat universe and its characters. To accompany this twisted new vision, noteworthy actors Michael Jai White (The Dark Knight, Black Dynamite, Spawn), Jeri Ryan (Star Trek: Voyager, Boston Public, Shark), and Ian Anthoy Dale (The Event, Tekken) lent their time and talents to a modest cast of extras, in what was otherwise a very well produced, high budget demo reel for online consumption. Or so it seemed...