According to an unnamed source who has read a copy of the 2018 script draft, the reboot will center around Kung Lao, making him and not Liu Kang the main character. If the film makers continue down this path, I think this bit of nostalgia will work.

Keep in mind the current known draft of the script is the Yellow Revised copy posted on Twitter by the guy playing Jax, dated September 5, 2019, so anything could have (but doubtful) changed since the 2018 draft, for which we haven't been confirmed if it is the original draft for this reboot or just perhaps another draft floating around.

Having read the 2016 draft myself, I can say with certainty we should be very thankful we will not be getting that movie. Although the script is good and it would be great as its own stand-alone movie (perhaps another spin-off to Blood Sport) I do not understand the reasoning behind making a boxer the lead character. That has "Mike Tyson Punch-out" NES vibes for me and that doesn't sit well. Plus all that time shit doesn't fly with me.

Again, as Greg Russo has stated he wants to stay faithful to the lore, so we have no specific clue to which "lore" or timeline he is talking about, but since he is only listed as a screenwriter and the movie has now entered production, it is safe to say the director and producer's control what happens from here, despite they obviously keeping him on the sidelines.