Karl Urban has revealed that working on 'Mortal Kombat II' became the toughest physical challenge of his acting career.
The actor, known for action-heavy roles in 'The Boys' and 'Dredd,' joins the 'Mortal Kombat' franchise as fan-favourite fighter Johnny Cage in the upcoming sequel to the 2021 film.
Karl Urban Shares Experience Working on 'Mortal Kombat II'
Urban explained that he spent several months preparing for the demanding role before filming even began. His training included movement exercises, agility work, speed drills and martial arts practice to handle the movie's intense fight scenes.
Image Courtesy: Karl Urban/Instagram
The actor said the biggest challenge came from performing long action sequences in single tracking shots, where he had to remember and execute more than 20 moves in a row without mistakes. Successfully completing those scenes became one of the most rewarding parts of the experience for him.
In 'Mortal Kombat II,' Johnny Cage receives a flashy Hollywood-style introduction. One scene even places the character inside a fake movie from his own acting career, adding a comedic and self-aware twist to the action film.
Karl Urban said he especially enjoyed filming those moments and noted that the sequence playfully pays tribute to over-the-top action movies from the 1990s. He also joked that Johnny Cage's fictional career troubles make sense after seeing the kind of films the character stars in.
Image Courtesy: Karl Urban/ Instagram
About 'Mortal Kombat II'
The sequel continues the story after the events of 'Mortal Kombat,' where Earthrealm fighters battled the forces of Outworld led by sorcerer Shang Tsung, played by Chin Han. Returning lead character Cole Young, portrayed by Lewis Tan, travels to Hollywood to recruit Cage for the next stage of the conflict.
Karl Urban also hinted that he would be open to returning for a possible third film, saying he enjoyed working with the cast and appreciated the ensemble nature of the franchise.
'Mortal Kombat II' is set to arrive in theatres this Friday, 8th May 2026.
