‘Mortal Kombat’ Director Unsure About the Chances for a Third Film

Director Simon McQuoid‘s first two Mortal Kombat films have been far from flawless victories (read my Mortal Kombat II review). Still, they’ve done well at the box office, leaving room for more sequels. Not long ago, it seemed Mortal Kombat III may be a go, but the filmmaker isn’t so sure anymore.

While speaking with The Wrap, McQuoid was asked about a third Mortal Kombat. “I think it’s still going through its life cycle. So I don’t know yet. I’m not sure.“

That’s a little uninspiring, to say the least. Lord Raiden would be disappointed.

Asked if he would like to return, McQuoid added, “Well, I feel like there are other stories that I want to tell that aren’t necessarily in Mortal Kombat and I have multiple things in development, one of which we’re just casting now and that’s not Mortal Kombat at all, something that is in the real world and very much a deep dive into a singular character and character study. I’m excited about it. But I never want to close doors. I’m just always trying to open doors.“

It sounds to me like McQuoid has moved on at this point. Not that I can blame him. No filmmaker wants to keep doing the same thing, and you can only wait so long for a project to be greenlit.

That said, Mortal Kombat III has by no means suffered a fatality. I may not have loved the movie, but it did pull in about $130 million on an $80 million budget. Not too bad. I’d be shocked if Warner Bros. had zero interest in a third film.

For now, though, it doesn’t seem that there’s much movement. MK III may be one fight we won’t see anytime soon.

In Mortal Kombat II, the fan-favorite champions—now joined by Johnny Cage himself—are pitted against one another in the ultimate, no-holds-barred, gory battle to defeat the dark rule of Shao Kahn that threatens the very existence of the Earthrealm and its defenders.