Mortal Kombat Stars Ludi Lin & Max Huang Want a Shaolin Monk Spinoff [EXCLUSIVE]

Mortal Kombat stars Max Huang and Ludi Lin want to star in a Shaolin monk spinoff next. Warner Bros. is nearing the launch of its live-action Mortal Kombat reboot. The popular video game franchise had a short-lived movie franchise in the late 1990s, and it took over two decades for another attempt to be made. Mortal Kombat includes most of the game’s iconic characters and has immediate franchise or cinematic universe potential given the expansive nature of the source material.

The massive roster of fighters Mortal Kombat features includes Liu Kang and Kung Lao. Former Power Rangers star Ludi Lin plays Liu Kang, one of the central protagonists in the franchise and repeat defender of Earthrealm. Kung Lao will be played by longtime stuntman Max Huang. Kung Lao and Liu Kang are both Shaolin monks in the Mortal Kombat world and have one of the strongest friendships in the series. The friends will both participate in Mortal Kombat‘s tournament, but the actors are already hoping for a spinoff.

Prior to Mortal Kombat‘s simultaneous release in theaters and on HBO Max on April 23, 2021, Screen Rant spoke to the cast and crew about the film and what they’d like to see happen next. During our interview with Max Huang and Ludi Lin, we asked them about their hopes for the franchise’s future. They both think there are a lot of directions Mortal Kombat could go next, including a Shaolin monk spinoff for their characters.

Max Huang: I think because the world and all the realms and the whole universe of Mortal Kombat is so big and it’s constantly growing – that’s the beauty of it, that it’s constantly evolving – I think that I would love to see a Shaolin monk spinoff. Telling Liu Kang and Kung Lao’s original story. That would be the ultimate dream, because I have so many ideas that I would love to put it in there. And that would be my favorite.

Ludi Lin: I would spinoff of that, because I think the end of the movie leaves a perfect setup for that series. Liu Kang loses something that’s really important to him, without missing any spoilers. It’s another world and a perfect opportunity to walk through some of those doors.

A Liu Kang and Kung Lao spinoff does have some precedence in the Mortal Kombat franchise, so Huang and Lin could get their wish. The two fighters first appeared together in 1993’s Mortal Kombat II but Midway developed a spinoff for them several years later. Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks explored Liu Kang and Kung Lao’s stories in a non-canon alternate reality between the events of the first two games. The game follows them traveling to Outworld to stop Shang Tsung’s plans to conquer Earthrealm and features other major characters like Sonya Blade, Raiden, Johnny Cage, and Goro.

Even though Warner Bros. hasn’t announced any plans to continue the Mortal Kombat franchise beyond this first film, a Shaolin monk spinoff for Liu Kang and Kung Lao could be a great decision. It could be developed as a spinoff movie or HBO Max Original series. While Liu Kang and Kung Lao will appear in Mortal Kombat, it is unclear how prominent their roles are since the story revolves around Scorpion and Sub-Zero’s feud and the movie’s new character Cole Young. If Mortal Kombat is a hit upon its release, it might not be long before multiple spinoffs or sequels enter development.