Mortal Kombat II Cast Reveals Brutal Training That Led One Star To Break Down In Tears

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As the movie Mortal Kombat II nears its release date, the actors have shared the story behind a moment that made one of them cry.

Training for the new Mortal Kombat sequel, directed by Simon McQuoid, was incredibly difficult. At a press conference with ScreenRant‘s Ash Crossan, actor Mechad Brooks revealed that he cried after one especially tough training session, returning to his hotel room in tears.

When you see the film on May 8th, what really comes across is my drive to be the very best at what I do. But getting there wasn’t easy. During rehearsals, I kept hitting walls and seriously doubting myself. I was so close for a whole month – I kept saying I was 95% there – and it eventually led to a really tough emotional moment where I questioned if I even belonged. It was a struggle, to say the least.

The actor, who was also in the original Mortal Kombat film, said the experience was mentally challenging. He hadn’t worked with Joe Taslim (playing Bi-Han) on such a complex, 27-move fight sequence before, and when he made a mistake, Taslim accidentally hit him in the face.

When I started the first film, I really struggled with the fight scenes and questioned if I was capable. What you see on screen is me striving to be good at what I do, putting in a lot of effort. But during rehearsals, I felt like I was always just short of getting it right – about 95% there – for weeks. It got so frustrating that I actually cried in my hotel room, wondering if I was cut out for the role. It was a mental block, because I’d never done such complex fight choreography with someone like Joe Taslim. I made one mistake and he accidentally hit me in the face.

At the same press conference, Karl Urban explained that filming Mortal Kombat II was the most physically demanding experience of his career. He noted there’s a steep learning curve when it comes to mastering the skills needed to play a character like Johnny Cage, a central figure in the Mortal Kombat games.

Urban confessed he was initially nervous when he landed the role of Johnny in Mortal Kombat II. He was joining a film filled with highly skilled martial artists like Max Huang, Lewis Tan, and Joe Taslim, all of whom were already established stars.

As soon as he arrived in Brisbane, Australia, to begin filming the next movie, he went straight to a stunt practice, still carrying his bags.

Building on what Brooks mentioned, Urban explained that everyone involved in the movie understood how important it was to do the Mortal Kombat games justice. They felt a real duty to the source material and dedicated a lot of time and effort to preparing for their roles.

Ultimately, Urban is thrilled with how the movie turned out and excited for audiences to see it in theaters this May.

Making Mortal Kombat II was by far the most physically demanding project I’ve ever worked on. I had to learn a lot of new skills very quickly, more than I’ve ever experienced before. Honestly, I was pretty scared! I was working with incredibly talented martial artists like Ludi, Max, Lewis, and Joe, and that was intimidating.

Everyone on the team was incredibly talented, and we hit the ground running. I distinctly remember arriving in Brisbane and being taken directly to a stunt rehearsal – I hadn’t even unpacked my bags yet!

Honestly, when it came time to film the re-entry sequence, I knew we had something special. The initial footage felt incredibly real, and everyone on set understood how crucial it was to get it right. This movie is a passion project, made by people who genuinely love this story, and I think that really showed. The entire cast dedicated themselves to intense training, and we’re all incredibly proud of how it turned out. We’re just thrilled with the final result!

Karl Urban has starred in many action-packed films and TV series that demanded a lot of preparation, including the Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Bourne Supremacy, the Star Trek films, Thor: Ragnarok, Xena: Warrior Princess, and The Boys. The Boys will finish airing just weeks before the release of Mortal Kombat II.

Having worked on many successful projects, Urban understands how demanding filmmaking can be. So, when he says Mortal Kombat II was his toughest production yet, it really highlights the incredible dedication and hard work the entire team invested in making this new film the best it could be – and both Urban and Brooks are confident it will be.

The film features a talented cast including Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Tati Gabrielle, Damon Herriman, Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano, Hiroyuki Sanada, Martyn Ford, Desmond Chiam, Ana Thu Nguyen, and CJ Bloomfield.

Mortal Kombat II will be released in theaters on Friday, May 8, 2026.

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2026-04-30 00:22