The Mortal Kombat franchise has enjoyed a successful past few years in several respects. The movie adaptation, released earlier in 2021, was well-received, and it's likely to get a sequel. While it wasn't without controversy, Mortal Kombat 11 was similarly well-reviewed. Mortal Kombat as a whole has been doing very well, and fans should expect further entries in the series in both gaming and film. While Mortal Kombat 12 and a movie sequel haven't been confirmed, fans feel as though they're inevitable. As such, the real question for gamers and moviegoers is, which will come first between the new movie or the next Mortal Kombat game.
It was announced in July that Netherrealm has finished with Mortal Kombat 11, and the studio is shifting its focus onto the next project. While some fans celebrated the idea of the developer working on a new game, some other players were displeased with the announcement. Some felt as though the studio took too long to announce it's completed its support for Mortal Kombat 11. It hasn't been officially announced what NetherRealm's next game is, but fans are excited to see what the project is. The Mortal Kombat developer could tackle any number of projects, making it less clear if the next MK game will make it out before the movie sequel.
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Status of the Mortal Kombat Movie Sequel
While the Mortal Kombat movie didn't receive glowing praise, a lot of fans enjoyed the film's take on their favorite fighters. The movie also had a respectable box office run, considering the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A sequel to the movie hasn't been announced, but the director, Simon McQuoid, has stated that a sequel is possible. Ultimately, a new Mortal Kombat movie will happen if fans want it to. While further entries haven't been greenlit, the first movie was written as being the first in a trilogy. It seems very likely that a new Mortal Kombat movie will be made, and the pieces are in place for it to come together in a reasonably quick fashion.
There was no post-credits scene or explicit cliffhanger attached to 2021's Mortal Kombat movie. With that said, there are plenty of routes the sequel could take. There was an obvious Johnny Cage tease during the movie, and there are plenty of other characters who could be featured in a sequel. Lewis Tan, the actor who portrayed Cole Young, has also reportedly signed on for four movies in total. With the general interest from the filmmaking crew and the success of this year's movie, it's easy to foresee that a sequel could be approved and get off the ground quickly. The status of the next Mortal Kombat movie seems more straightforward than what will happen with the next entry in the gaming series.
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NetherRealm Studios' Next Project
NetherRealm is moving ahead with its next project after the company announced it has completed its post-launch support for Mortal Kombat 11. The developer hasn't announced what its next game will be, but this hasn't stopped rumors and speculation from appearing online. The next project from NetherRealm could see the developer tackling something new, or returning to an existing IP. The developer's history might suggest that the team will take a break from Mortal Kombat to work on something different, but this might not be the case.
Rumors have suggested that Mortal Kombat 12 is next for NetherRealm, owing largely to the franchise's modern popularity, and the rumored sale of the developer by Warner Bros. This might not be too surprising considering that the latest Mortal Kombat game did extremely well for the developer and its publisher. It might make sense for the stakeholders in the series to move forward with another main series game swiftly. Regardless of how much sense this might make, it should be noted that this is purely unverified speculation, and it should be taken with a grain of salt.
The developer could surprise its fans and create something completely different. Injustice fans have been eager to see a new installment in the series, and a Marvel game from NetherRealm Studios has been rumored for some time. The studio's new project is likely in its early stages, so fans should expect a bit of a wait before any official information comes out about it. Aside from the rumors about the next Mortal Kombat game already being in development, it could be unlikely that the developer is working on the next iteration in the series already.
Mortal Kombat Movie Sequel Could Come First
A Mortal Kombat movie sequel feels more likely to be released before the next game. Based on comments from the crew who worked on the first movie, there seems to be anticipation that it'll be given the go-ahead soon. Some of the cast is locked down for future movies, and there's a host of Mortal Kombat characters that the sequel could use. NetherRealm, on the other hand, could be working on something unrelated to Mortal Kombat. It wouldn't be surprising for fans to see the developer work on a new Injustice game or something new, before moving into the next MK game. Historically, NetherRealm has worked on a different IP in between Mortal Kombat games, and because the team has options for what it chooses to develop next, it arguably makes more sense that the movie will be released first.
Now that Mortal Kombat 11 has been finished with, NetherRealm could be working on a variety of things next. A new Injustice game could happen, or even a wholly original project, as it's too early to tell what Ed Boon and his team are working on next. The Mortal Kombat movie sequel, conversely, feels one step away from being greenlit right now. With this in mind, the movie may be released before the next game. The rumors about Mortal Kombat 12 could prove to be true, but unless this speculation is verified, NetherRealm has too many options to confidently say that the next game will be released before the filmic sequel.