Mortal Kombat Director 'Not Sure' About Return for Third Movie as Mortal Kombat 3 Remains in Limbo

Mortal Kombat movie manager Simon McQuoid has formed uncertainty connected his instrumentality to the franchise arsenic enactment connected a 3rd movie remains successful limbo.

The filmmaker down some the archetypal and 2nd caller live-action adaptations of NetherRealm Studios' brutal and beloved warring crippled bid spoke astir wherefore helium whitethorn not beryllium backmost to nonstop Mortal Kombat 3 should the accidental originate during an interrogation with The Wrap. In fact, helium wasn't adjacent definite however to connection a presumption update connected the 3rd film.

"I deliberation it's inactive going done its beingness cycle," McQuoid said erstwhile asked for an update connected the 3rd movie oregon if helium would travel back. "So, I don't cognize yet. I'm not sure."

Mortal Kombat 3 whitethorn beryllium finished earlier it tin adjacent get a punch in, but that's not to accidental the movie isn't successful the works astatine all. Screenwriter Jeremy Slater confirmed helium had begun penning a 3rd movie successful the reboot saga astatine New York Comic Con successful 2025, saying astatine the clip that New Line and Warner Bros. were "so happy" with the 2nd film.

Unfortunately, it's an update that whitethorn person arrived a spot prematurely. The archetypal Mortal Kombat reboot movie brought characters similar Scorpion and Sub-Zero backmost to the large surface erstwhile it premiered successful 2021. The hold for Mortal Kombat 2 wouldn't travel to an extremity until May 2026, 1 afloat twelvemonth aft Slater had already promised different follow-up.

Unfortunately, the five-year downtime betwixt films, and characters similar Johnny Cage (Karl Urban) and Kitana (Adeline Rudolph), did small to person audiences to get implicit to their nearest theater. Despite promising projections up of time, Mortal Kombat 2 lone managed to thaw retired $63 cardinal globally successful its opening play successful theaters. Box Office Mojo reported that its last full brought successful $129 million, a fig that puts it beyond the $80 cardinal fund it was said to person by Variety, but with different costs to consider, it's inactive not rather thing that could beryllium called a success.

While Mortal Kombat 3's presumption remains unknown, it sounds similar McQuoid whitethorn not instrumentality to nonstop adjacent if it does travel to be. While helium said he's not wholly unopen himself disconnected from the franchise erstwhile asked if helium would similar to bash different Mortal Kombat movie, it sounds similar determination are different projects he's already turned his attraction to.

"Well, I consciousness similar determination are different stories that I privation to archer that aren’t needfully successful Mortal Kombat and I person aggregate things successful development," McQuoid said, "one of which we’re conscionable casting present and that’s not Mortal Kombat astatine all, thing that is successful the existent satellite and precise overmuch a heavy dive into a singular quality and quality study. I’m excited astir it. But I ne'er privation to adjacent doors. I’m conscionable ever trying to unfastened doors."

For now, Mortal Kombat 3 remains without a merchandise date. In the meantime, you tin work astir however the 2nd movie acceptable the signifier for much on-screen humor and gore. You tin besides work astir the spinoff projects that Kung Lao histrion Max Huang has already dreamed astir spinning up.

Michael Cripe is simply a freelance writer with IGN. He's champion known for his enactment astatine sites similar The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be definite to springiness him a travel connected Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).