This is TERRIBLE news for me! I really HATE the casting choices of Kung Lao, Liu Kang, Johnny Cage and Shang Tsung! Legacy should be going in it's own continuity with the previous Shang Tsung actor for god sakes. All this recasting is MK Annihilation all over again for me.

Liu Kang and Kung Lao should be portrayed by fully chinese actors and fighters, NOT asian mixes! Both of them, along with the new Johnny Cage, are also too freakin' old! I think KT is doing this just for the sake of having well-knowns in it and now I hope he does NOT direct the next MK movie! IMO he's NOT an MK fan at heart.

"This will be the first time Kung Lao makes it to a live-action adaptation"

um yea! i mean, its not like kung lao was in the live action tv series called MORTAL KOMBAT CONQUEST or anything. it might be his "ancestor" but it was still kung lao. he even wore the costume in the debut episode.

1. so you're saying that because he didn't cast the EXACT nationality of Kang, Lao, and Tsung....he's not a fan!? Wow, Im guessing anyone that suggested actors like Shin Koyamada, Tony Jaa, etc aren't real fans at heart either right?

2. The first series wasn't really following age in their casting either but no one seems to complain about that.

3.Lets not be completely nitpicky and bias by complaining about things like that.

Did he EVER use his hat in that show?...I thought so,case closed.

Hail Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa!

I'm quite glad that Geri Ryan won't be returning.

Indeed.

This is great! Tancharoen's right on point!! ....well, with a few of them anyway.

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Shang Tsung) - He embodied the idea of MK1-3 Shang Tsung perfectly. I'm glad he's back. I liked Johnson Phan but, I thought he was a bit less intimidating than he needed to be. He seemed to be a bit quieter an influence than a true live-action Shang Tusng should be. Hats off to him but, I think the change back to Tagawa was the right one.

Casper Van Dien (Johnny Cage) - Yea, ok...he fits. Let's see what he can do. He's got some big shoes to fill. I REALLY liked Matt Mullins. I don't want to count Casper out but, I don't think he's going to work out overall.

Mark Dacascos (Kung Lao) - He looks the part. Not to come off too harsh but, just don't let him talk...or actually "act" too much and he should do really good. Kung Lao's got the dark, moody, and mysterious thing in the bag as a character. If Mark can concentrate on being a less rigid actor, and incorporate more smooth BEHAVIORAL movements while on screen, he should be fine. I think his ability to fight is great, and he has the mood and mystery of Kung Lao....and he even looks like Kung Lao (imagining him in some similar costume as the actual video game character) but, i think his brand of swagger is wrong for a Kung Lao role. We'll see.

Harry Shum Jr (Kuai Liang/ Younger Brother Sub-Zero) - Gotta be honest, I don't see it. At all. Body type, voice, acting or appearance of fighting skill on camera. I maybe could have imagined him as a Liu Kang. But not Sub-Zero...younger or older brother.

Brian Tee (Liu Kang) - I don't really see him in the role of Liu Kang either. He comes off like they could cast him in the "young man Shang Tsung" role. He could work in the Kung Lao role too. He's darker...Liu Kang's not dark.

Ian Anthony Dale (Scorpion) - Thank God he's staying in...but we knew that.

Dan Southworth (?) - HE looks like Sub-Zero. He looks similar to John Turk, actually. If you squint, that is. I could see him as Kuai Liang, Bi Han, or Kenshi. I think they're going to need to manipulate his voice either way.

really? case closed?
episode 1 of mk conquest:


wtf you call that?

yea i think not. try again.


bottom line, hat or no hat, the kung lao character has been portrayed in a live action environment. be it tv show, or the mk live tour.

So how you feel about Sam Tihia returning as Kitana, Michelle Lee becoming Mileena, and Eric Jacobus as the new Stryker?

Same name, completely different character. The Kung Lao that is playable in the games has never been adapted into a live action movie or TV/Web show, so yeah you're absolutely wrong.



This is massive news, and I have mixed feelings about it. I've always hated recasts, and these are some pretty drastic changes. I loved Matt Mullins as Cage, I thought he was the perfect Johnny Cage for this day and age. The guy from Starship Troopers? Oh well, we'll see.

Mark Dacascos has been a fan choice online for Kung Lao for as long as I can remember. I think it seems like a good pick, though he's a bit old for the part.

Tagawa returning as Shang Tsung is fantastic, that's all I have to say about it.

People complaining about Sub-Zero not looking like John Turk or certain asian characters not being entirely asian or whatever, I feel sorry for. It's so completely irrelevant to the quality of the show. I'm glad they made these choices just to piss you people off. Grow up.

I love Dan Southworth, he made the Quantum Ranger one of the most badass Power Rangers ever. I wonder if he'll play Kenshi... like so many rumors indicated a bunch of years ago, when we were all still waiting for that Threshold MK3.

I'd be better off with Mark being suited as Raiden instead.

As for Dan Southworth... maybe him or Johnny Bosch can play as Rain!

And Harry or Shin Koyamada can either play Liu Kang.

oh wow I never thought I would see Cary Tagawa play Shang Tsung again. I like it.

I liked the other guy who played johnny cage though.




Cary looked and acted perfectly in the movie. His beard is irrelevant.

Well I disagree.

But he wasn't bad. He just wasn't what I think of when I think of Shang Tsung. I'm perfectly willing to give him a second chance, especially if he's actually going to look the part this time, which he very well might since he's now old enough to play the MK1 version of the character.

Sam Tihia (Kitana) - I think she did a really good job the first time around so, it was intelligence speaking to see her come back as well. She's awesome. She's still really fresh so, I'm not done seeing her around that role at all. Especially because she handled it well... I do wonder if she can actually hold her own in longer scenes though. She didn't do much talking in her previous appearance.

- Talisa Soto from the original movie was really graceful, had a regal style about her, handled a smooth fighting style on screen really well, and sounded like what Kitana feels like in the games. That's why she's hard to beat in the Kitana role. Miss Tihia's a bit more edgy from what I can tell. From the way they shot her on screen last time, allowing her soft, emotional stuff to have a presence on screen, without letting go of the fact that Kitana's an assassin and has to suppress that side of herself most of the time is a good way to strike the balance.

((It's worth noting that I am one who thought Tancharoen and team knocked the Edenian content out of the park last time. I thought they did it close to perfectly last time, and hope they do that again))

Michelle Lee (Mileena) - She looks good for the part. There's not much out there on her though so, it's hard to actually tell. The interesting quality about Mileena in live-action media is that there's only been a few women who have ever been able to merge (or make it seem effortless how they teeter the line between) sexuality, and aggressive, great-looking martial arts sequences, and then also be able to portray the characters they play really well. Let's see what she can do.

Eric Jacobus (Stryker) - I think based on Eric's ability to look excellent in an on-screen fight, it was a great choice to cast him. Should mean we see Stryker actually fight someone this time around. Tamoh Penniket was a refreshing take on Stryker that wasn't weak in the least bit but, again, casting a more aggressive fighter should mean we get to see him in combat at some point. Which is cool. Strykers been on my roster of favorites since MK3-Trillogy...when everyone else seemed to hate him back then. Seeing these sorts of choices made for that character is a sort of sweet revenge for me...Suck it haters! lol

anyone else think they'll debut this in April, as it does say 2Q 2013? Injustice also comes out in April. wishful thinking, but they could premiere this just after the release of Injustice, and announce the next MK game along with it!

Holy moly doughnut shop!

I remember the character Brom from Sleepy Hollow, which was an awesome movie. Also, John Turk as Sub Zero? No offense to Turk, but his MK3 Sub Zero was by far and away my least favorite iteration of Sub Zero in this entire series.

As for Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa coming back, well, that's just freakin fantastic news. I REALLY hope he comes back as Shang Tsung for the movie as well!

Wait does this mean that Shang Tsung is going to be Scorpion's father?

(Since the actors for them have been father and son in both the Tekken film and Hawai'i Five-0 :P )

I enjoyed Legacy quite a bit. But Tagawa reprising his role as Shang Tsung? Plus Sub-Zero actually having BLACK clothing as opposed to light blue pajamas? Definitely good omens.

But if Legacy 2 will be about the tournament, what the hell is the movie gonna be about? Or will it also be about the tournament, only a different interpretation?

Only a different interpretation.

Yes! I'm so happy Dacascos is playing Kung Lao, I always thought he would be great in that role :D

I'm pretty sure the movie will be an entire new universe, separate from the Legacy series.
Damn my feelings are so freakin mixed. I'm so pissed off that Mullins is no longer Cage, but I'm psyched that Tagawa is Shang Tsung again.

UPDATE from MJW: https://twitter.com/MichaelJaiWhite/status/276166228572258304

If this in the least has loose continuity with the upcoming movie, I'm guessing that Jax is still hospitalized but will resurface in the movie with Metal Arms P.S....how do you hyperlink on this forum?.

[a href="insert_link_here"]clickable_text_goes_here[/a]

Finally, substitute [ & ] for < & > respectively.

Thank you very much