10 Logical Fighter Additions For A Potential Mortal Kombat Sequel

Based on the popular video game property, the highly anticipated Mortal Kombat cinematic revival offered plenty of fan-favorite characters to appease longtime followers of the franchise. The movie concludes with protagonist Cole Young (Lewis Tan) scouting for additional fighters to participate in the coming tournament. The first film offered a handful of hints and teases of other characters who may have a chance of appearing in future Mortal Kombat installments. 

10. Kollector

A resident of the dimension Outworld, Kollector is not only a proficient fighter but a key figure in the service of overlord Shao Khan. As the name implies, Kollector is a debt collector responsible for gathering worthy items and souls. Though the unscrupulous Naknadan has served Khan for a time, Kollector is a being who holds loyalty to no one.  Kollector is one of the few newly conceived characters to enter the Mortal Kombat franchise, which would allow the filmmakers to take certain liberties with the character. Kollector's integration into the sequel would reinforce a stable mix of old and new characters to enter the cinematic fray. 

9. Nightwolf

Similar to video game series such as Street Fighter and Tekken, Mortal Kombat has always been a franchise unique for character representation. For the most part, the film reboot follows suit in its diverse cast consisting of not only Caucasians but Asian and African American fighters. This can continue into the sequel with the introduction of Native American Nightwolf. A representative of the Matoka Tribe, Nightwolf brings with him a powerful warrior's spirit as well as a trusty bow & arrow and spirit dagger to inflict on his enemies. Whether Nightwold gets his time to shine or not, expect the creatives to bring representation to the forefront with future sequels/spinoffs. 

8. Sindel

If the Mortal Kombat films continue to explore Outworld, it'd be remiss for the creatives to leave out one of its most famed members Sindel. Sindel's introduction offers much in the way of exploration for the location, which merely served as a catalyst for events in the first film. The regal sorceress is the wife of franchise big bad Shao Kahn and the mother of premiere fighter Kitana. Though older in appearance, Sindel more than stands on her own with her ability to emit fireballs, levitate, and even release a deadly banshee scream.  Considering a future Shao Khan appearance is in the cards, it's only natural that the warrior's wife would be by his side in some form or another. 

7. Kitana

A longtime fighter, Kitana is the princess of Outworld and another descendent of the Kahn lineage alongside her mother Sindel. Kitana previously made her live-action debut in 1995's Mortal Kombat played by actress Talisa Soto, a role that she reprised in the 1997 follow-up sequel Mortal Kombat Annihilation. Without Shao Kahn or Sindel in the 2021's reboot, there was not much room for Kitana to feature in a large capacity. But, the film is lacking in female fighters representing the people of Earthrealm as well as Outworld. In a blink or you'll miss it a moment, eager-eyed viewers can spot Kitana's famous blue fan during the film's visit to Raiden's temple, heightening an appearance from the masked combatant. Whether Kitana can successfully out the shadow of her father Shao Kahn or not, the fight against Outworld can begin to gain traction with their own princess.  

6. Stryker

Though 2021's Mortal Kombat spends a significant amount of time in Outworld, a sizeable chunk of its runtime is devoted to Earthrealm. Aside from Cole, the humans in the form of Special Forces soldiers Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee) and her partner Jax (Mechad Brooks). Another staple human soldier of the franchise is Kurtis Stryker, a hapless human who becomes intertwined in Earthrelams' battle with Outworld. Outworld bounty hunter Kabal even carries a police badge sporting the Stryker namesake in the movie, an Easter Egg pertaining to the character, which helps to cement Stryker's place in the world. It'd be key for a Mortal Kombat sequel to help fill in the blanks on Stryker's particular whereabouts. 

5. Sheeva

Introduced in 1995's third Mortal Kombat game, Sheeva is a member of the feared Shokan species, belonging to established characters Goro and Kintaro. Similar to Goro, Sheeva is a multi-armed creature with a ferocious fighting ability and reputation to match. With the Prince of Shokan Goro deceased as a result of his brutal battle with protagonist Cole Young, Outworld is in need of another Shokan ruler and fans are in need of another fighter. Sheeva is a natural progression of sustaining the Shokan legacy on screen. Not only does Sheeva serve as the protector of Queen Sindel in the games, but the Shokan warrior continues Goro's bloody legacy with ease. 

4. Baraka 

The recent Mortal Kombat film displayed an array of deadly Outworld warriors in the service of emperor Shao Kahn, with a clear omission being Tarkatan mutant Baraka. Baraka is a violent commodity that has remained a staple since the early days of the video game franchise. While the character lacks an appearance in the film, Baraka is another fighter that cannot be ignored for long. While Baraka is a formidable opponent, the character's deadliest feature is his trademark blades which protrude from each of the character's forearms. Solely featuring in 1998's critically panned Mortal Kombat Annihilation, Baraka is a fighter in need of some big-screen redemption. 

3. Noob Saibot

Noob Saibot is the younger brother of Bi-Han a.k.a. Sub Zero in the games, but the film did not make any mention of any family lineage relating to Bi-Han. However, comments from Sub Zero actor Joe Taslim seem to hint that the current regime may have plans to drastically alter the character for the films. While Sub Zero may have been vanquished by mortal nemesis Hanzo Hasashi a.k.a. Scorpion, there is a chance that the character's spirit may live on through Noob Saibot. It would not be out of the realm of the possibility to combine Sub Zero into Noob. Saibot was initially conceptualized by game developers as the undead Sub Zero for use as a fighter. It'd to rob fans of the rivalry between Hanzo Hasashi and Bi-Han after simply one film. 

2. Shao Kahn

While Shang Tsung (Chin Han) may have served the role of the main antagonist in Mortal Kombat, there is one who sits above him, in Outworld ruler Shao Kahn. Armed with a face obscuring skull mask and a war hammer, Shao Kahn has remained the chief villain of the Mortal Kombat series since 1992. The villain is so chief in fact that that the character is merely relegated to a mural and statue in the movie. A Shao Kahn appearance in the sequel does not necessarily mean that the big bad would have to face any of the opponents to come across as a credible threat. With enough oversight and buildup, Shao Kahn can become the "Thanos" of the current Mortal Kombat film series.

1. Johnny Cage

Perhaps the most glaring omission from the movie, Jonathan Carlton a.k.a. Johnny Cage is a Hollywood film star thrust into his next role... as the defender of Earthrealm. For the recent Mortal Kombat adaptation, Cole had filled in as the audience surrogate, which may explain Cage's absence. However, it was clear by the end of the film that there are true plans to include Cage in the future. With a plethora of fighters perished, Cole is sent to Hollywood by Earthrealm's primary protector Lord Raiden (Tadanobu Asano), in search of Cage himself. If Warner Bros. picks wisely in their choice of actor, Johnny Cage is a fighter that will bring both humor and entertainment to the world around not only himself but the other contestants. 

With Mortal Kombat raking in over $20 million on its opening weekend and becoming the largest debut title on HBO Max, the battle between Earthrealm and Outworld is just getting started. With about 20 video game entries released in the past few decades, the series presents filmmakers with an assortment of fighters to introduce into future movies and spinoffs.