The Real Reason Johnny Cage Isn't In The Mortal Kombat Movie
A new Mortal Kombat film has fans buzzing, but one iconic challenger seems to be missing from the latest trailer. Even though fans and critics have combed the trailer for small details, Johnny Cage is nowhere to be seen. According to one of the film's producers, Johnny was left out of the film in favor of another fan favorite character.
In a press event for the latest Mortal Kombat adaptation covered by GameSpot, producer Todd Garner explained Johnny's absence. "The reason we held back Johnny Cage is he is a very egotistical guy. He's a scoundrel. He's funny. He's bigger than life... and so is Kano," Garner said. "So you go, 'Alright, are we gonna just gonna have two guys competing to [see who can] out-funny each other and out-ego each other in this movie? Or do you hold Johnny Cage back?"
In the end, the team behind the film chose to go with Kano, who will be portrayed by Josh Lawson, and leave Johnny Cage back in 1995, where he was played by the iconic Linden Ashby.
Fans already have a laundry list of things they'd like to see in Mortal Kombat, but that doesn't mean that all of them will happen. Of course, Mortal Kombat's team has taken care to remain loyal to the video game series and its extensive mythology. The producers said it took almost 7 years for the movie to get made according to their specific demands. Mortal Kombat will be rated R, so viewers will likely see all the beauty of a gory Fatality or two. The film will also feature a diverse cast of characters, which was important to the producers.
Speaking of diversity, Todd Garner had a slightly different answer for Inverse when asked about Cage's absence. He stated that "I feel like if I was getting to make a movie with a diverse cast, it felt weird to have a white actor, literally Johnny Cage, be the hero of the story." Garner and co-producer James Wan wanted to tell a different sort of Mortal Kombat story, and did not want to include Hollywood's spoiled, glamorous Johnny Cage as the central character.
As for Johnny Cage, he probably won't be too missed. In addition to the funnyman Kano, new character Cole Young will enter the narrative as a MMA fighter that seems to have a few similarities to Cage. For those that just can't stand to see Mortal Kombat without their favorite loudmouth, there's still hope. Garner has hinted that Johnny Cage may make an appearance if there's a sequel to 2021's Mortal Kombat.