Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema have officially confirmed that Mortal Kombat III is in the works — months before the release of Mortal Kombat II. The announcement was made during the Mortal Kombat panel at the 2025 New York Comic Con, where fans were surprised to learn that the popular video game adaptation will now become a full trilogy.
Jeremy Slater Returns as Screenwriter
At the event, writer Jeremy Slater, who penned the upcoming Mortal Kombat II, took the stage alongside director Simon McQuoid and cast members Adeline Rudolph, Karl Urban, Martyn Ford, and Tati Gabrielle. Slater revealed that not only is the third installment confirmed, but that he has already been hired to write it.
“Our friends at New Line and Warner Bros. are so happy and excited with this movie,” Slater told the crowd. “They’re so convinced a giant fanbase is waiting for it that they already hired me to start writing the next installment of Mortal Kombat.”
While no plot or production details about Mortal Kombat III have been disclosed, its early confirmation signals the studio’s strong confidence in the franchise’s continued success.
Expanding the Tournament: Returning and New Cast Members
Mortal Kombat II, directed once again by Simon McQuoid, will continue the story from the 2021 reboot, which introduced fans to heroes like Sonya Blade, Kano, Jax, Liu Kang, Kung Lao, and the new protagonist, Cole Young. The first film ended by setting up the larger Mortal Kombat tournament between Earthrealm and the sinister dimension of Outworld.
The sequel will see the return of key actors including:
- Lewis Tan as Cole Young
- Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion
- Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade
- Mehcad Brooks as Jax
- Ludi Lin as Liu Kang
- Josh Lawson as Kano
- Chin Han as Shang Tsung
- Tadanobu Asano as Raiden
- Max Huang as Kung Lao
- Joe Taslim as Bi-Han (Sub-Zero)
Joining them are new cast additions that expand the Mortal Kombat universe:
- Karl Urban as Johnny Cage
- Adeline Rudolph as Kitana
- Tati Gabrielle as Jade
- Martyn Ford as Shao Kahn
- Damon Herriman as Quan Chi
- Ana Thu Nguyen as Sindel
- CJ Bloomfield as Baraka
- Desmond Chiam as Jerrod
A Strong Legacy and Studio Confidence
The 2021 Mortal Kombat reboot proved to be a hit despite challenging circumstances, opening at number one at the box office and earning $84 million worldwide on a $55 million budget. It also became HBO Max’s most successful film launch at the time, thanks to its simultaneous streaming and theatrical release.
That success, combined with growing fan anticipation for the sequel, has convinced Warner Bros. to lock in a third chapter before Mortal Kombat II even reaches theaters. The studio’s decision reflects its confidence that the second film will perform strongly — potentially even surpassing its predecessor.
Director McQuoid shared that the upcoming sequel has grown into a much larger production than originally expected. “Every time someone’s seen this movie, it’s just gained momentum,” he said during the Comic Con panel. “We’ve created a massive summer blockbuster.”
“Mortal Kombat II” Delayed but Growing in Scale
Originally slated for release on October 24, 2025, Mortal Kombat II has been rescheduled to May 15, 2026. While Warner Bros. reportedly adjusted its slate due to the success of other 2025 releases like Superman, McQuoid explained that the delay will allow the team to fully realize the film’s scale and quality.
“Fans will have to wait a bit longer,” he said, “but the finished product will be worth it.”
Building a Modern Trilogy
With Mortal Kombat III now confirmed, the current iteration of the franchise officially surpasses the 1990s adaptations — Mortal Kombat (1995) and Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997) — which ended after two films.
This modern trilogy aims to deliver an expansive cinematic universe inspired by the classic fighting video games that first captured audiences in the 1990s. As the story continues, fans can expect even more intense battles between Earthrealm’s defenders and the dark champions of Outworld — leading to an ultimate showdown that will define the fate of both realms.
Mortal Kombat II hits theaters May 15, 2026, and with Mortal Kombat III already in the works, the future of this legendary franchise looks more powerful than ever.
