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!