Karl Urban is set to star in the upcoming Mortal Kombat II as Johnny Cage, a role that Urban says might be the biggest and most challenging in his career.

Why is Mortal Kombat II Karl Urban’s most challenging movie ever?

Speaking to Deadline in a recent interview, Urban said that the role of Cage is the most challenging one he’s ever taken from a physical aspect. Due to the choreography involved in the movie, Urban also noted it was technically challenging as well.

“This was the most challenging film, physically and technically, that I’ve ever embarked on in my career,” Urban said. “I’m super proud of it. And I can’t wait for the audience to see it. There’s a fight in the middle of the film that Johnny has with Baraka that’s probably the most fun thing that I’ve ever had the opportunity to do.”

Mortal Kombat II is set to release on May 8, 2026, and will be directed by Simon McQuoid. Alongside Urban in Mortal Kombat II, the star-studded cast also includes Josh Lawson as Kano, Adeline Rudolph as Kitana, Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Mehcad Brooks as Jax, Lewis Tan as Cole Young, Tati Gabrielle as Jade, Damon Herriman as Quan Chi, Chin Han as Shang Tsung, Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden, Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi / Scorpion, and more.

“From New Line Cinema comes the latest high-stakes installment in the blockbuster video game franchise in all its brutal glory, Mortal Kombat II.  This time, the fan favorite 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,” reads the film’s official synopsis.

(Source: Deadline)