Screenwriter Jeremy Slater isn’t just hoping Mortal Kombat II lands — he’s betting on it kicking harder, funnier, and louder than its bone-cracking predecessor. Best known for Moon Knight and The Umbrella Academy, Slater joined the fight for the highly anticipated sequel to 2021’s Mortal Kombat, and he’s bringing something unexpected to the table: comedy.
Yes, alongside the classic gore, brutal standoffs and a long-awaited tournament, Mortal Kombat II will come with well-timed laughs — and fans apparently love it.
"Every joke is landing" Slater said, recalling fan-filled test screenings where audiences erupted like it was Avengers: Endgame. "They were cheering, jumping out of their seats. It was one of the greatest moments of my life."
Slater insists the sequel doesn't just scale up the spectacle — it injects new life through humour, tighter storytelling, and a central arc for Johnny Cage.
"We had to find a structure that made the tournament satisfying" he explains, noting the risk of lulls in fight-driven films. "We’re telling a story on the margins where there’s just as much happening outside the tournament as inside."
Director Simon McQuoid returns, joined now by Slater’s fresh energy and reverence for the fandom. With 20 characters, "fatalities, surprises, and deaths," the October 2025 release is shaping up to be the most entertaining Kombat yet — and perhaps the funniest.
