Mortal Kombat stars Robin Shou and Linden Ashby, who portrayed Liu Kang and Johnny Cage, respectively, reunited to reflect on their experience working on the film as they fought each other in the classic video game. The duo also shared their thoughts on the upcoming Mortal Kombat reboot and discussed the possibility of making cameo appearances in the film.
Released as an arcade game in 1992, the first Mortal Kombat game spawned multiple sequels and spin-offs that have all offered players the chance to choose from a grand roster of characters hailing different realms who fight for supremacy. A featured film adaptation from director Paul W. S. Anderson was released in 1995 and while reviews were generally mixed, Mortal Kombat earned $122 million worldwide and was successful enough for a sequel to be released two years later. Today, Mortal Kombat is regarded as one of the better video game adaptations and has earned praise for its martial art sequences.
During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Robin Shou and Linden Ashby took each other on in multiple rounds of the arcade game before reflecting on how the chemistry between the cast was key to the film’s success. “We were all very grateful to be in a big movie and as actors, you know, that’s what you’ve been wanting to do, or dreaming, or hoping for,” Shou said of the atmosphere on set. Ashby added, “I think that we just caught lightning in a bottle. Like everyone was there for the right reasons. We all, in our own way, needed this film to work.”
A Mortal Kombat reboot is currently in the post-production phase after completing production in December 2019. Directed by Simon McQuoid from a screenplay written by Greg Russo and Dave Callaham, the Mortal Kombat reboot features an ensemble cast that includes Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Mehcad Brooks as Jax, Tadanobu Asano as Raiden, Sisi Stringer Mileena, Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero, and Lewis Tan in an undisclosed role.
While Shou jokingly said they will always be the true Liu Kang and Johnny Cage when asked if they were willing to make cameos in the new film, Ashby expressed his support for the reboot, saying, “I love the fact that they’re rebooting it. Like, I love the way they rebooted the James Bond films. […] I think that it’s cool to take a fresh start ’cause there was so much that could have been done with this franchise that wasn’t done.”
Although feature film adaptations of video games have not had the best track record over the years, more recent attempts have more critically and financially successful. The first live-action Pokemon film, Detective Pikachu, opened to generally positive reviews and box office success while Sonic the Hedgehog set a new record for the biggest opening weekend for a video game film in North America in February 2020.
It may be a while before audiences see where the Mortal Kombat reboot will rank among the best or worst video game adaptations. In March 2020, co-producer Todd Garner stated that was not sure in the release date would be impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.
Mortal Kombat is scheduled to be released in theaters on January 15, 2021.
Source: The Hollywood Reporter
![\"IT電腦補習](\"http://itteacheritfreelance.hk/test/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/logo2-2.png\"){kind=logo}
www.itsec.hk
www.itsec.vip
www.itseceu.uk
Leave a Reply