I guess I’m expected to post about the “Mortal Kombat II” trailer? A very low bar has been set with these these movies, so if I’m telling you that this looks like it could be the best one of the franchise, that isn’t necessarily a compliment.

Then again, how bad can this actually be when you have Karl Urban (Johnny Cage) and Hiroyuki Sanada (Hanzo) in your film? The first “Mortal Kombat” may not have blown audiences away when it debuted in 2021, but it performed well enough ($83M) at the box office to earn a follow-up. I guess that means something.

However, here’s the real question: why should casual moviegoers care to show up for a sequel? Simon McQuoid — who helmed the mixed reviewed original— is back; he hasn’t directed anything else in his career. Before that, McQuoid was known as a commercials and ads man, including commercials for H&R Block and Corona.

Warner Bros is releasing “Mortal Kombat II” on October 24, 2025.