While movies based off of video games have historically suffered, the past few years have changed the genre’s reputation. Some of the best video games movies have hit theaters recently, and Simon McQuoid’s pair of Mortal Kombat movies are definitely in that category. Following the 2021 original (which is streaming with a HBO Max subscription) the sequel Mortal Kombat II hit theaters in May. I recently spoke with the director about its forthcoming release on 4K UHD, where he revealed a few easter eggs cans can seek out upon the re-watch
Mortal Kombat II is available now on digital and will be available 4K UHD on July 28th. The fandom can now re-watch all those epic fight scenes, and have the ability to pause and rewind every fight, fatality, and surprising pop culture reference. I had the privilege of speaking with Simon McQuoid about the sequel’s home release, where I asked him about any east eggs eagle-eyed fans should look out for now that we can stop the sequel. He told me:
So one of the first things that costume designer, Cappi Ireland, who did an amazing job, she really wanted to dig into the history of Edenia. And what societies and countries and civilizations do with things with nobility and armor in an effort to make the world feel as real as possible. So one of the things she found in her research was that Edenia within the game, within the lore, it was just this little tiny sort of mention had this Edenian flower, this thistle. That particular motif and that design that she created goes, is all in the armor of the guards and also king Jerrod.
Edenia is introuced in the opening sequence of Mortal Kombat II, and is the home of Kitana and one of the realms thats involved in the titular tournament. Fans of the game will recognize it as an important setting, and also the home of other characters like Sindel, Jarrod, Jade, Rain, Kitana and Mileena (depending on which timeline you’re in). As McQuoid pointed out, that setting its given its own visual language, including ongoing costume motifs conceptualized and implemented by designer Cappi Ireland.
An Edenian flower is included in a number of pieces throughout Mortal Kombat II, something I didn’t notice on my first re-watch of the R-rated action flick. The filmmaker went on to share more examples of the way it’s used in the movie, telling me:
It’s also within young Kitana’s costume. And it’s also moves across and is in her fans. So you sort of see this through on. So that’s worth sort of having a look at and studying that.
God is in the details, and there was clearly a ton of specific work done on Mortal Kombat II. Simon McQuoid’s movie felt straight out of the video games, and luckily writer Jeremy Slater already has four more sequels planned. We’ll just have to wait and see if Warner Bros. green lights a threequel. I’ll personally be keeping my fingers crossed.
Mortal Kombat II reviews priased Karl Urban‘s Johnny Cage, and luckily there are some easter eggs for that scene stealer as well. Specifically during Johnny’s hilarious fake movie Uncaged Fury. As Simon McQuoid told me:
And then the Uncaged Fury fight in the background, there’s some really fun little things we sprinkled through there. I won’t say too much. I mean, I don’t wanna overstate it, it’s just a bit of fun. But there’s some things within there that if paused you could see a few little things. I would say Yohei [Taneda], who’s the production designer, is just a phenomenally brilliant man.
Suddenly I’m feeling the need to pause dissect every frame of the epic sequel. Luckily for me, fans can do exactly that by watching McQuoid’s sophomore directorial venture from the comfort of their own home.
Mortal Kombat II is available digitally now, and will arrive on July 28th as part of the 2026 movie release list.