Mortal Kombat II May Be Setting Up Cole Young For An Ironic Fate

Mortal Kombat II could be setting up Cole Young for an ironic fate as the sequel shifts focus to Johnny Cage. When Mortal Kombat was released in 2021, it gave moviegoers a game adaptation that embraced the aesthetics and characters fans loved. The film also achieved financial success, and it was released when theaters were still reopening after the COVID-19 shutdowns, demonstrating its appeal to returning audiences.

The first trailer for Mortal Kombat II was finally released, teasing the characters and violent action that fans have come to expect. The trailer also shows that the sequel has some unique plans for the story, which will feature new characters, like Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage. However, the tease of Mortal Kombat II also holds back on Cole Young, with some speculating that his future may come with an ironic twist.

Mortal Kombat II Looks To Be Shifting Protagonists From Cole Young To Johnny Cage

MK Fans Have To Be Happy With That Development

Cole Young, played by Lewis Tan, is an original character created for the 2021 Mortal Kombat adaptation. He had never appeared in a prior game, unlike the rest of the eclectic roster, as the character was created to allow audiences to connect to the mystical world of the other fighters from a neutral standpoint. While it technically worked from a story standpoint, most game fans found it to be one of the weaker aspects of the movie, as Cole didn’t elicit the same fervor as known characters.

Mortal Kombat II looks to be making a change in its central protagonist, with Johnny Cage looking to be the focus of the sequel. Karl Urban taking on the role of the fan-favorite character garnered attention when it was announced, and now that gamers have seen him in the trailer, he looks to have given Cage his proper due. However, the trailer also focuses on Johnny as the central figure, rounded out with others, like Sonya, Jax, and even Kano. This looks to be a clear response to the backlash surrounding Cole Young, but it still leaves audiences wondering what will happen to the original character now that he isn’t the protagonist.

Johnny Cage Led A Past Mortal Kombat Film, And Met His End Early In The Sequel

The Less Said About Annihilation, The Better

This is not the first time Johnny Cage has led a Mortal Kombat movie. The 1995 adaptation from director Paul W.S. Anderson featured three central protagonists, with the movie focusing on Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, and Liu Kang. Cage’s role saw him as the cocky action movie star the games envisioned, and he survived his bouts, with his fight against Goro being a standout moment in the film. Mortal Kombat also ended with a cliffhanger, teasing Shao Kahn for the sequel.

Mortal Kombat: Annihilation followed in 1997, picking up directly from where the first film ended. However, the sequel suffered from numerous problems, including new actors in known roles, which made the experience all the more jarring by immediately following the first film’s events, and some of the worst VFX in cinema history. Still, beyond its numerous problems, the sequel chose to kill off Johnny Cage in the opening scene. Cage had become a favorite from the first film, and while the production had its reasons, it alienated many from the start and went downhill. Many consider Mortal Kombat: Annihilation one of the worst video game adaptations ever made, but the franchise persisted with gamers, and the 2021 film reboot has brought the series back to theaters.

Fans Think Cole Young Could Meet A Similar Fate In Mortal Kombat II As Johnny Cage Takes Over

Say It Ain’t So, Johnny

Thanks to the trailer for Mortal Kombat II, audiences get to see Johnny Cage back in movie theaters, and he looks to be stepping back into his protagonist role for the sequel. Many speculate that the character will die in the new movie due to Cole’s absence in marketing materials. Mortal Kombat is known for killing characters, as the games thrive on it, but the movie’s dispatching of Cole comes with a certain level of irony.

With Johnny Cage being the lead of 1995’s Mortal Kombat, only to die off immediately in 1997’s Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, fans think Cole could meet the same fate. Given that Cole was the central protagonist of 2021’s Mortal Kombat, only to be left out of the marketing for Mortal Kombat II, he may meet a quick end in the sequel, just like his replacement previously did before the franchise reboot. While this has yet to be confirmed, as the character may be living a happy life with his family from the first film, it may be bizarrely more satisfying for fans to see him killed off.

If Cole dies in Mortal Kombat II, it seems unlikely he’ll get the resurrection treatment like Kano. Sure, he could still return in some form, or even be given a meaningful send-off. Still, with the dark sense of humor and reliance on brutal deaths that have allowed Mortal Kombat to thrive, Cole Young could be set for an ironically dark fate that mirrors the very character replacing him. Cole’s fate remains to be seen, but given the fervor to see him gone, no matter how his role in the sequel is reduced, Mortal Kombat II will likely be better for it.

Mortal Kombat II

Release Date

October 24, 2025

Director

Simon McQuoid

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  Jessica McNamee

  Sonya Blade

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  Josh Lawson

  Revenant Kano