Mortal Kombat 2’s Johnny Cage Casting Is Bad News For One Other Major Earthrealm Champion

The excitement around Mortal Kombat 2‘s Johnny Cage casting is great news for the movie, but one character may suffer as a result. Mortal Kombat‘s 2021 film had mixed success, but adding one of the franchise’s most popular characters will help boost anticipation for the next big-screen installment. Adding Karl Urban to the cast to play Johnny Cage will help build even more hype and perhaps turn Mortal Kombat from a successful video game franchise to a cinematic hit. The IP has had several movies in the past, but this is perhaps the best time for it to thrive with the popularity of video game movies recently.

While this may be mostly good news for the second film, this casting causes one key issue. One of the first movie’s key characters will likely suffer from the new addition, making it difficult to have both thrive. Although there is a possibility to have both characters feature simultaneously, there is concern about one Earthrealm champion taking a back seat: Liu Kang. Considering the wide roster of fighters the franchise has, it isn’t a huge surprise that some may have a reduced role while others will come in and steal the spotlight, but it would be disappointing to see such an important character have minimal involvement.

Liu Kang Wasn’t The Main Character In Mortal Kombat 2021 (Despite His Importance)

Although Liu Kang played an important part in 2021’s Mortal Kombat movie, he wasn’t the main character. Cole Young had the lead role, which means the sequel’s story will likely revolve around him. Liu Kang was instrumental in helping train Cole, allowing him to reach his full potential and kill Sub-Zero. Despite being arguably the protagonist of the entire franchise, Liu Kang could have a reduced role with the sequel’s plot not necessitating his close involvement. This doesn’t mean he won’t have any form of significance and could still be involved in some exciting fights in Mortal Kombat 2 but it is less likely now.

He did manage to face off against some of the film’s biggest enemies and could still provide support against the antagonists in Mortal Kombat 2. Given the focus on Cole and now the likes of Johnny Cage and Quan Chi, the story will presumably move on from some fighters and Liu Kang is in danger of being one of them. With an importance of boosting ratings and box office performance, there will be an emphasis on making the sequel feel fresh, which is bad news for Liu Kang. He will still be involved, but it looks as though Earthrealm may have a new star to take his shine.

Mortal Kombat 2’s Karl Urban Casting Means Johnny Cage Will Be The Sequel’s Focus

With Karl Urban being cast as Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 2, it is almost certain he will be the focus of the movie. While the film will still prominently feature Cole Young, Johnny will be right alongside him as one of the stand-out characters that the story revolves around. Johnny Cage is one of Mortal Kombat‘s most recognizable characters, right up there with Liu Kang and, given he has a big star playing him, it will likely push his chances of having a prominent role. With Urban’s success in The Boys, the actor has never been more popular, making him the perfect fit for such a charismatic character.

Failing to really work as the lead in the first movie, Cole Young could be replaced by Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 2. This doesn’t mean Cole will be written out, but having a franchise favorite with a lot more charm would help get people more invested. Johnny would bring a much-needed sense of comedy to the film. Outside the violent combat and brutal fatalities, the movie would have more opportunities for jokes and humor, something that has become a staple in modern action films. Casting someone like Karl Urban means the movie will put a lot of stock in Cage’s character, which while exciting, is bad news for Liu Kang.

How Mortal Kombat 2 Can Balance Johnny Cage & Liu Kang

Trying to balance Johnny Cage and Liu Kang will be difficult, but the movie can still pull it off. With Liu Kang’s importance to the franchise, hardcore fans might not like the idea of him being reduced to side character status in favor of Johnny. Giving him an important character arc away from Johnny Cage and the central story would allow both characters to thrive separately. Crafting a narrative where both of Earthrealm’s most popular fighters are at the heart of the story could get messy. It’s hard to imagine Urban’s Johnny Cage being sidelined for Liu Kang and, therefore, the latter would be in danger of being mostly forgettable.

Instead, the film could have Cage join Cole at the heart of the story, taking on one of the film’s antagonists, Quan Chi. Meanwhile, Liu Kang could face off against the likes of Shao Kahn and Queen Sindel in a separate battle. This would allow Kang to still have an important role, facing arguably more menacing villains, while still allowing Johnny Cage to be involved in the more central storyline. It would give two of Earthrealm’s best characters the opportunity to be involved with big storylines without stealing one another’s spotlight, and the two could always end up fighting each other, be it in Mortal Kombat 2 or a future film.