The 2021Mortal Kombatfilm reboot took a contentious chance with its central protagonist being an original character, and one NetherRealm Studios ought to embrace. For the upcomingMortal Kombat 12, one roster addition should be reserved for the new film’s main character, Cole.
Despite its planned release for some point in 2023, not much else is known aboutMortal Kombat 12,which Ed Boon and NetherRealm Studios have been tight-lipped about since its unceremonious reveal during a Warner Brothers earnings call. With the year shaping up to be one of the best in recent history for fighting game fans, there is concern surroundingMortal Kombat’s ability to stand out where there are so many other highly-anticipated contenders. BetweenTekken 8andStreet Fighter 6,some fans worry that there may not be room for anewMortal Kombatgame in 2023.
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Regardless of the stiff competition,Mortal Kombathas always been a series assured of itself and its unique style. It appears that NetherRealm will rise to the challenge of a 2023 schedule crowded with fighting game releases. Ed Boon recently took to Twitter to poll fans ongame modes that should return forMortal Kombat 12, which shows that the studio is full-steam ahead for its impending release. Fans eagerly await an announcement trailer to drop soon, as any small scrap of information gets endlessly disseminated online. The historic franchise has been due for a new chapter since the last bit of DLC forMortal Kombat 11launched in 2021.
The recent film adaption ofMortal Kombathad its ups and downs in terms of critical reception. Advocates praised its faithfully brutal and gory action, as well as some phenomenal casting choices - in particular, Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion. The more tepid responses blasted the film for its painful and overly-expository dialog. Regardless of where fans of the game stand on the movie, its decision to feature a charactercompletely new to theMortal Kombatcanonwas a bold choice that could prove an opportunity for NetherRealm Studios.
Throwing Cole in the Ring for Mortal Kombat 12 Would be a Natural Addition
Thestory mode forMortal Kombat 11was bombastic, self-aware, and one of the game’s most pleasant surprises when it launched in 2019. A central theme across its multiple narrative arcs was the passing of the torch to a new generation, with series' staples fighting alongside their progenies and pupils. The 2022 film followed a similar thread, with its hero Cole being a distant descendant of Hanzo Hasashi, better known as Scorpion. Weaving together the plots of the game and the movie could make for a riveting continuance of that new school usurping the old trope.
Director Simon McQuoid explained his thought process behind featuring a new character for hisMortal Kombatmovie, seeing Cole as a bridge between the world ofMortal Kombatand a wider audience. The MMA fighter turned EarthRealm’s champion brought a contemporary relevance to a franchise that already had a dose of it with characters like Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, and Jax Briggs, but was also chock-full of martial arts mysticism that casual audiences might have considered imposing or inscrutable. While NetherRealm should not stray too far from its roots, adding Cole to the roster seems like a logical fit for the trend that began withMortal Kombat 11’s story.
If previous games in the series are any indicator, theroster forMortal Kombat 12should bring plenty of familiar and fresh faces. The addition of Cole has some solid potential not only as a fighter in his own right but as a sign of a franchise standing in solidarity with its adaptations across other mediums.
Mortal Kombat 12is in development.
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