A highly anticipated sequel, already shaping up to be a summer blockbuster, had a few surprises for fans… including the return of two characters who were very dead after the previous installment.
Videos by Suggest
Mortal Kombat II hit theaters last weekend, featuring fan-favorites like Johnny Cage and Kitana. But the real surprise was the return of Kano and Kung Lao, who were both unceremoniously killed off in the 2021 film.
Mortal Kombat II writer Jeremy Slater recently explained the decision to perform a flawless victory over the concept of death itself.
“I think it’s the fun of Mortal Kombat, honestly,” Slater recently told ComicBook.com. “It’s, it’s like, you know… before I took the job, one of the things I was like, ‘You have to let me bring Kano back to life’, because [Kano actor] Josh Lawson was my favorite thing about the first movie,” he added of the Aussie actor, who truly embodied the cyborg martial artist baddie.
“I was like, ‘he’s the guy who understood the assignment, and that tone that he is hitting in this movie is the tone that I want this entire movie to have’. So I’m like, ‘I have to bring Kano back,'” Slater continued.
Why Slater Brought Back King Lao in ‘Mortal Kombat II’
Slater’s reasoning for bringing back Kung Lao (Max Huang) was even simpler: how can you not have that killer, wide razor-brimmed hat in the sequel?
“I have to bring Kung Lao back,” he gushed. “I’ve got to get that hat in a fight scene and, and play with it. It’s too much fun, and he’s too cool of a character.”
However, Slater didn’t want to simply retcon their deaths or pretend they never happened. Instead, he wanted their returns to surprise fans and have a real impact on the story. His plan also conveniently opens the door for other “killed” characters to rejoin the fray in a potential Mortal Kombat III.
“It’s my job to figure out how do we get some of them back in, but maybe how do we get them back in, in ways that the audience is not necessarily expecting,” he explained. “How do we use those deaths as a jumping-off point to tell interesting stories for some of these characters or to take them on new journeys?”
How Bringing Back Previously Dead Characters in the Summer Blockbuster Is a ‘Strength in This Universe’
When it comes to killing off beloved characters, only to bring them back later, Slater has a plan. He wants to turn what “could be a liability” into “a strength in this universe.” The goal is to ensure that while death hurts and audiences “get taken out,” there’s still a way to bring characters back—with consequences, of course.
It’s a tricky balance, but as Slater notes, “we do always have that sort of escape hatch built into the franchise. They’ve been killing people and bringing them back to life for 34 years now.”
While Kung Lao’s resurrection might need a bit of a supernatural explanation, Kano’s is a surprisingly easy nut to crack. The bionic background of the character in the games provides a perfect loophole for a comeback. Still, fans are surely curious about what Slater is teasing and how these “escape hatches” could impact the blockbuster franchise going forward.
Fans can find out by checking out Mortal Kombat II, currently in theaters everywhere.