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Mortal Kombat II is "the best video game adaptation yet" says Johnny Cage himself, Karl Urban

At Emerald City Comic Con 2026, Karl Urban got the audience hyped up for his turn as Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat II

News by Jules Chin Greene, Staff Writer

Published on Sun Mar 08 2026

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The stakes just got raised for Mortal Kombat II. Not only has hype been building for the sequel to the 2021 film ever since it was revealed that Karl Urban would be playing Johnny Cage, but Mr. Urban himself has now been stoking the flames of fan anticipation at Emerald City Comic Con 2026. Mortal Kombat II is going to blow us all away, he promised.

At Emerald City Comic Con's panel celebrating The Boys, a fan asked Urban whether or not his portrayal of Billy Butcher on The Boys ever bled into his performance as Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat II. Before assuring the audience that no, there are no shades of Billy in Johnny, Urban presented a tall order about the upcoming film.

"I am so excited for you guys to see Mortal Kombat II... I think it's probably, to my mind, the best video game adaptation that's gone to film yet. Because let's be honest, there are a few that haven't quite fired, but this one fires! And it fires in a really good way, and I can't wait for you all to see it," Urban said.

Okay, so let's all think about the bars that Mortal Kombat II would have to clear. The best film video game adaptations, in my mind, are the original Silent Hill movie, Detective Pikachu, and the Alicia Vikander Tomb Raider movie. I haven't watched the Jim Carrey Sonic the Hedgehog movies, but if they had gotten Keanu Reeves to sing I Am... All of Me from the Shadow the Hedgehog game, then Sonic 3 immediately would earn a hallowed place in cinema history. But I digress!

Though, let's also remember that Mortal Kombat II is giving us Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor Hiroyuki Sanada bellowing, "GET OVER HERE!" as Scorpion. Absolute cinema, surely.

Watch The Boys season 5 panel with Karl Urban and Laz Alonso from Seattle's ECCC 2026 here:

Can't get enough? Here is:

About Emerald City Comic Con

Dates

Mar 05 - Mar 08

Location

Seattle Convention Center
United States

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Jules Chin Greene: Jules Chin Greene is a journalist and Jack Kirby enthusiast. He has written about comics, video games, movies, and television for sites such as Nerdist, AIPT, and Multiverse of Color.