"Weird casting but okay"- Fans left dissatisfied with Karl Urban playing Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 2

Mortal Kombat 2, the sequel to the 2021 original, has revealed a first-look poster, giving a glimpse at the iconic Johnny Cage, who will be played by Karl Urban, best known for his role as Billy Butcher in The Boys franchise. There was ample anticipation surrounding the unveiling of Johnny Cage, as he is one of the most pivotal characters in the videogame franchise.

However, with the first look at Karl Urban as Cage, many fans took to social media platforms like X (formerly and better known as Twitter) to express their disappointment over the casting. Not only did some fans point out how other actors (like Glen Powell) could have made a better Johnny Cage, but some even pointed out how they felt Karl Urban was out of place in this role.

X user @AmateurStew198 summed this up, saying:

"This is… weird casting but okay."

Many users had similar things to say about this casting.

"It shoulda been Glen Powell but i'll be seated nonetheless."- another fan wrote.

"I like Karl urban as an actor but this honestly seems like an odd choice to me for Johnny cage. Maybe I need to play mortal Kombat 1 to see if they changed up the look to get away from the jean Claude van damme look."- another user added.

"I still think they coulda picked someone younger to play Johnny Cage. Still, it doesn't make me not want to see this movie."- another fan said.

"I still think The Miz had the better look. But we will have to wait and see how Karl does in this role!"- yet another user said.

It was clear from the comments that most fans did not despise Karl Urban, but simply felt he was too old for the role and did not seem to fit the bill for Johnny Cage.

However, until Mortal Kombat 2 comes out, it would be impossible to know how Karl Urban does and whether he really suits the role.

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Mortal Kombat 2: Everything we know so far

Mortal Kombat 2 is an upcoming martial arts film based on the famed videogame franchise of the same name. It is co-produced and directed by Simon McQuoid and written by Jeremy Slater and serves as a sequel to the 2021 film while also being the fourth film in the franchise.

The film stars many recurring stars from previous movies, including Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Tadanobu Asano, Mehcad Brooks, Ludi Lin, Chin Han, Joe Taslim, and Hiroyuki Sanad. Moreover, Karl Urban, Tati Gabrielle, Adeline Rudolph, Martyn Ford, Desmond Chiam, Ana Thu Nguyen, CJ. Bloomfield and Damon Herriman are all set to join the cast in this iteration.

While plot details are still under wraps, a trailer is expected to arrive soon. The film is set to arrive on October 24, 2025, in theatres. Stay tuned for more updates about Mortal Kombat 2.