James Wan Explains Why Now Is the Right Time for MORTAL KOMBAT
Josh Millican
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Mortal Kombat producer James Wan wasn’t able to attend the recent press junket with fellow producer Todd Garner and the film’s director Simon McQuoid. Still, he was good enough to let us know what we were all dying to ask: Mainly, why now is the right time for a new Mortal Kombat movie! Check out his answer below the trailer and synopsis!
Synopsis:
MMA fighter Cole Young, used to getting beaten for money, is unaware of his legacy – or because Emperor Outworld Shang Tsung sent his best warrior, Sub- Zero, an otherworldly Cryomancer, to hunt Cole. Fearing for the safety of his family, Cole sets out to find Sonya Blade and Jax, a special forces major who carries the same strange dragon that Cole was born with. Soon he finds himself in the temple of Lord Raiden, an Elder God and Protector of Earthrealm, who grants sanctuary to those who bear the mark. Here, Cole trains with seasoned warriors Liu Kang, Kung Lao, and devious mercenary Kano, as he prepares to take on Earth’s greatest champions against enemies of Outworld in a high-risk battle across the universe. But will Cole be under enough pressure to unlock his arcane – the immense power in his soul – in time to not only save his family, but also stop Outworld once and for all?
Mortal Kombat is directed by Simon McQuoid from a screenplay penned by Greg Russo; the film stars Joe Taslim (Sub Zero), Ludi Lin (Liu Kang), Jessica McNamee (Sonya Blade), Mehcad Brooks (Jax), Josh Lawson (Kano), Chin Han (Shang Tsung), Hiroyuki Sanada (Scorpion), Tadanobu Asano (Raiden), and Sisi Stringer (Mileena).
“It’s been over 25 years since the first feature film came out, and fans have been pretty vocal asking for another big-screen entry. As a fan myself of the games and movies, I, too, wanted to see another theatrical version of this, and felt it was time again to revisit this IP that has been kept relevant in the game world but not as much in the feature world. From the get-go, Todd Garner, my Atomic Monster team and I, were excited and gung-ho about creating a new, updated version with today’s filmmaking technology whilst being respectful to the fantasy tone, violent action, and gore of the game that fans have come to love and, at the same time, bring these vivid characters and stories back to the big screen in a modern, exciting way for a whole new generation who may not be as familiar with the films as we were growing up.”
When Wan was asked which Mortal Kombat character he most identifies with and whether that character is in the film, he responded:
“The recent Mortal Kombat allows you to play so many different characters—I’ve played Black Manta in the latest one—but I love to go back to the old school, OG characters that I used to play, and that was either Liu Kang or Scorpion. What was cool with Liu Kang is that he was heavily inspired by Bruce Lee, and so when I play as Liu Kang, I basically get to live out my fantasy of being Bruce Lee!”
Are you excited to check out Mortal Kombat? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! You can also carry on the convo with me personally on Twitter @josh_millican.
Categorized:Interviews News
