Simon McQuoid, the director on the Mortal Kombat reboot series, has revealed during an interview with The Wrap that he’s unsure if he’ll be back for a third instalment in the series, which remains in limbo after Mortal Kombat II failed to set the box office alight.
“I think it’s still going through its life cycle,” he said, when quizzed about a third film and his possible involvement. “So, I don’t know yet. I’m not sure.”
Back at New York Comic-Con 2025, screenwriter Jeremy Slater reportedly revealed that he was planning a third Mortal Kombat film, noting at the time that New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. were “so happy” with Mortal Kombat II. That movie was originally due to hit cinemas in October 2025, but was delayed to May 2026, where it went on to make about $129 million worldwide against a $80 budget. That’s not a flop, but when you factor in marketing and other costs, it’s not exactly a runaway success.
Slater touched base on a third Mortal Kombat movie again just after MKII hit cinemas, stating that while MKIII wasn’t actually green-lit yet, he was finishing a second draft for the project at the time.
“Well, I feel like there are other stories that I want to tell that aren’t necessarily in Mortal Kombat and I have multiple things in development,” added McQuoid, “one of which we’re just casting now and that’s not Mortal Kombat at all, something that is in the real world and very much a deep dive into a singular character and character study. I’m excited about it. But I never want to close doors. I’m just always trying to open doors.”
Mortal Kombat II introduces Karl Urban as Johnny Cage and sees returning characters such as Liu Kang, Sonya Blade, Jaxx, and Cole Young taking part in the titular tournament as they battle for the future of Earthrealm, which is under threat from the rule of Shao Kahn.