As we’ve documented multiple times on this site, video game adaptations into other media are hit-or-miss at best. Whether it be cartoons, live-action, or a mix of styles, they either hit it big or land right on their faces. The Mortal Kombat universe is no different. Their first live-action movie is legendary to this day. Its sequel, meanwhile, is an abomination, as is the cartoon series it originally inspired. The modern reboot is a bit divisive, and no one knows what to expect with its sequel. The Mortal Kombat Legends movies, though, are viewed as quite good. Now, you can enjoy the third movie in that line, Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind. Understandably, the cast and crew were quite pumped about making it.
One of the first things you’ll notice about Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind is the different scale and scope. The first two movies of the line focused on familiar tales from the universe, but this third film is different. The film is about Earthrealm being taken over not by Shao Khan but by Kano and his Black Dragon mercs. The only people who can stand up to him are Sub-Zero and his protégé Kenshi. Does the title make sense to you now? We hope so!
Anyway, last weekend at New York Comic-Con, the film’s team, including writer Jeremy Adams, was interviewed. Adams wrote the first two films in the line and, as such, knew he had to do something different in this version of the game’s world, even if it meant touching on new ground.
“We circled around this one probably because at first glance it doesn’t feel like it would fit into the continuity of Mortal Kombat but as you go along and more is revealed you realize it could.”
He’s not wrong. One of the things about Mortal Kombat is that it has branching stories and paths depending on who you play in the primary mode, as each character gets their own ending and “result.” For example, multiple paths lead to Shao Khan taking over Earthrealm and becoming the ruler of all. So a story where Kenshi and Sub-Zero are all that’s left to fight Kano? It could happen.
Another critical thing for this movie in Adams’ eyes was that he needed to make it “accessible.” The previous film in the series, “Battle of the Realms,” was, by his admission, too long a script. So he focused on keeping the story small but powerful:
“With this one, we really needed to be more focused and tell a smaller tale with more dramatic stakes.”
As noted, you can watch the third film now. But don’t think this is the end of the series, as a fourth film was already announced via “Cage Match,” which will indeed welcome back Johnny Cage.
Source: ComicsBeat
