‘Mortal Kombat II’ Soon Streaming Exclusively On HBO Max

Fans of the Mortal Kombat video game series will readily recall 2021 attempt to reboot a live-action Mortal Kombat movie. This latest attempt to turn the beloved bloody fighting game series by Midway Games into a similarly bloody action movie by director Simon McQuoid got a decidedly…mixed response from critics. Even audiences found the movie to be a bit lacklustre, which is not a good start for this reboot. And yet for some reason, the movie somehow did well enough financially that producer New Line Cinema decided that a sequel was in order.

This sequel was creatively titled Mortal Kombat II and it also featured Simon McQuoid as director, as well as starring Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Tati Gabrielle, Lewis’s Tan, Damon Herriman, Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano, Joe Taslim, and Hiroyuki Sanada. It received…similarly mixed response from critics and audiences when it premiered in U.S. theaters on May 8, 2026. Better than the first movie, but still not what you would call “good” by any stretch of the imagination. I suppose it explains why we’re getting this story for today.

New Line Cinema is proud to announce that Mortal Kombat II will soon make its global streaming debut exclusively on HBO Max. How soon, you might ask? Well, that streaming debut will be on Friday, July 24, 2026. You will need to sign up for a HBO Max subscription, but otherwise, that’s where you’ll get to see it. However, you can also watch this sequel on HBO linear a day later on Saturday, July 25, 2026 if you still use cable TV.

ASL Fans, Rejoice!(?)

On top of all that, there will be a version of Mortal Kombat II specifically made entirely in American Sign Language. This version will feature the work of ASL Dubber Justin Perez and director Rosa Lee Timm (Sinners with BASL, Minecraft with ASL). This version will specifically use “Visual Vernacular”, which is a “a unique sign language form that combines elements of ASL, mime, facial expressions and body movements to convey highly visual stories”. You can see how it works in the ASL trailer for the movie either on YouTube, or just look below:

Mortal Kombat II Heading to Streaming Just a Few Months After Theatrical Debut

Honestly though, even just going off of the trailers alone, it’s not hard to see why Mortal Kombat II got such a lukewarm response from viewers. Johnny Cage (played by Karl Urban) is a big reason for that lukewarm reception. He seems to be very, very different from his video game incarnation in terms of personality. The games portray him comedically, with him seemingly unaware that he’s fighting a battle to the death in most cases due to being tricked into going into the Mortal Kombat universe, and thinking that he’s just acting for a new movie. Meanwhile, this movie portrays him much more seriously, with the movie version being an everyman actor who’s tricked doing the same, and panicking once he realizes what kind of a mess he’s in. It’s a subtle distinction, but it’s quite noticeable, and the result is cognitive dissonance if you were a fan of Johnny Cage’s video game version.

The only kudos I will give is the ASL version and ASL dubbing for Mortal Kombat II. Not many movies will go to such lengths to provide that level of accessibility to their audiences. It may be a bit of a lukewarm experience, but at least it’s accessible.

What do you think? Are you willing to give Mortal Kombat II a chance on HBO Max despite its flaws? Tell us your combative thoughts in the comments section below.