Key Takeaways

• Release Date: Mortal Kombat II will now premiere on May 15, 2026.
• Reason for Delay: Warner Bros. believes a May release will yield better box office results.
• Test Screenings: Early reactions to the sequel have been very positive, comparable to Avengers: Endgame.
• Franchise Future: Producer Todd Garner expresses hope for more installments beyond the upcoming film.

Mortal Kombat fans will have to wait a little longer for their latest helping of gruesome mayhem, as Deadline reports that the release of Mortal Kombat II has been pushed back. The sequel was initially slated to hit theaters on October 24, less than two months away, but it will now be released on May 15, 2026.

What’s the reason for the move? Warner Bros. feels that the film will simply perform better in May. In addition, the previous release date was looking exceptionally crowded, with Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, Regretting You, Bugonia, and Last Days all set to debut on the same date.

Once again directed by Simon McQuoid, Mortal Kombat II will find the fan favourite champions—now joined by Johnny Cage himself—are pitted against one another in the ultimate, no-holds barred, gory battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders. Karl Urban stars as Johnny Cage, alongside Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Tati Gabrielle, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman, with Chin Han and Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden, Joe Taslim as Bi-Han, and Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi and Scorpion.

The first film definitely had some great moments, but fans were mixed. That doesn’t seem like it will be the case with the sequel, as reports from test screenings have been enthusiastic. Screenwriter Jeremy Slater even said they’re on the level of the reaction he (and many other movie-goers) had to Avengers: Endgame. A big part of the buzz comes from Karl Urban stepping in as Johnny Cage, a character who injects a sense of fun that was missing from the original film. That Uncaged Fury teaser trailer was gloriously cheesy.

Producer Todd Garner is already keeping his fingers crossed for another installment. “We’re hoping that this is not the end of the franchise,” he said. “So, this is not like we’re just doing this movie and this is going to be it, hopefully. We have a plan further down the line for things.“