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Mortal Kombat reboot?

#1



Matt²

Is this real?



and is that Jeri Ryan as Sonya Blade?


#2

Piotyr

Piotyr

It's either the most egregious waste of fan money in history, or it's real.


#3

Calleja

Calleja

http://twitter.com/grantimahara/statuses/15726417253

http://twitter.com/grantimahara/statuses/15726931435


The guy busts myths for a living, he should know


#4



Chibibar

cage is dead? :(


#5

Fun Size

Fun Size

The big question is: is it a movie or a game reboot? It looks like way too much money went into it for me to believe it's a throwaway.


#6



Matt²

Calleja said:
http://twitter.com/grantimahara/statuses/15726417253

http://twitter.com/grantimahara/statuses/15726931435


The guy busts myths for a living, he should know
Click to expand...
yeah but I wasn't sure if he was kidding or not.


#7

tegid

tegid

I don't think this teaser is for a movie... Too long for a trailer, reveals too much of the story I think.


#8

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

tegid said:
I don't think this teaser is for a movie... Too long for a trailer, reveals too much of the story I think.
Click to expand...
While teasers or trailers are what you normally see before release, a few production houses or directors might opt to instead show a scene from the movie. It saves time and often gets people more excited because they get a better idea of the look and pacing of the movie.

This looks very much like the very beginning of the movie, so it's not like it is spoiling anything or giving away too much of the story. It's what you will see when the movie starts anyways, before the action and carnage begin. Think of it like how many game developers may release a very early demo of a game, it's usually the first level to get a taste, but then leaves you hanging so you don't know how the rest will play out and thus want to buy/see it.

As for the trailer itself. I have to say I am impressed. They cut out all the mythical things that took up much of Mortal Kombat, forming it into what seems to be a psychotic action drama, and somehow made it work. At least, from what we have seen. I am very curious how they will get the powers of people like Sub-Zero to work.

Oh, and I can already imagine how they are going to make Shang Tsung "transform" into other fighters.


#9



Chibibar

I do like how Reptile and Baracca are made. That is pretty cool.


#10

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Oh, and does anyone notice that this may play out a lot like MK2? I have a large feeling the whole storyline of Scorpion and Sub-Zero will follow the MK2 dynamic rather then the MK1 dynamic. Anyone that has played both games knows what I am talking about.


#11

checkeredhat

checkeredhat

IMDB lists a new Mortal Kombat movie for 2013, so this looks to fit that. Although their listing does say the project is held up in a legal battle right now.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0293429/

I liked Jax fitting in lines like "Fatality" and "Finish Him". That was a bit of fan service that paid off with me.

...It certainly can't be any worse than the old ones!


#12

drifter

drifter

Hmm. Looks like it could be pretty entertaining. A video game movie that won't suck ass? Put me down for cautiously optimistic.


#13

Frank

Frankie Williamson

You know who's awesome?

Michael Jai White.


#14

bhamv3

bhamv3

checkeredhat said:
...It certainly can't be any worse than the old ones!
Click to expand...
Oh great, now you said it, and now it's going to suck.

You know what people said about the second AvP movie? That's right, that it couldn't be worse than the first one.


#15

phil

phil

What I guess it's cool that they're taking out all the outworld shit it does seem a little lazy to just have everyone be a serial killer....all in the same city? I guess?


#16

LittleSin

LittleSin

I think this may be what they're showing at E3. I'm thinking their rebooting the game franchise to fit better with the crime drama/action obsessed video gamer of today.


#17

checkeredhat

checkeredhat

ScytheRexx said:
Oh, and does anyone notice that this may play out a lot like MK2? I have a large feeling the whole storyline of Scorpion and Sub-Zero will follow the MK2 dynamic rather then the MK1 dynamic. Anyone that has played both games knows what I am talking about.
Click to expand...
I have played both games and I have no idea what you mean.

I never had a clue what the plot to these games actually was. All fighting games seem to do a terrible job actually explaining what is going on, or I'm just really, really thick.


#18

Calleja

Calleja

They needed to fight. The bad guys to destroy the world, the good guys to save it. That's the whole storyline.


#19

SpecialKO

SpecialKO

Frank said:
You know who's awesome?

Michael Jai White.
Click to expand...
Word.


#20

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

checkeredhat said:
I have played both games and I have no idea what you mean.
Click to expand...
Well, I was one of those kids that not only would wait before putting in my quarter to watch the little "character detail" and "story" breakdowns that would pass when not playing, but I also beat the games with every character, so I knew all the little ending stories. Just for those that didn't know what I meant, I will explain the story of Scorpion from MK2. Going to add a spoiler tag just in case any of it turns out to be close to how they play it.

During the events of MK1, Scorpion returns from death and joins the tournament, his goal to kill Sub-Zero for killing him in a past encounter and murdering his family later on. He succeeds and kills Sub-Zero before returning to the Netherworld to seek rest for his damned soul. He later finds out that another tournament is happening (MK2) and that Sub-Zero has somehow entered the competition. In a rage he once again claws his way out of the Netherworld to kill his nemesis, but at the end finds out that the Sub-Zero he was fighting was not that of his enemy, but his enemies younger brother, sent to assassinate Shang Tsung. Scorpion, not realizing his nemesis also had a family, pledges to protect the younger Sub-Zero and the two fight the forces of Outworld. In MK3 Scorpion joins Shao Khan but changes sides when he realized Sub-Zero was part of the Earth Defense Forces, fulfilling his oath to protect him. It gets a bit more complicated if you go to the rest of the games.

If you are curious of the parallels with the trailer and MK2, Scorpion had sent himself to jail to finally rest his soul after supposedly killing Sub-Zero. He learns that Sub-Zero is still alive and now rushes out to go claim the revenge he was denied. He learns that he supposedly killed the brother he never knew about.

Now for a little possible plot discussion.

Now the writers can go two ways with this. They can follow the same story, and we find out Scorpion really did kill the Sub-Zero he hated and that the one he was chasing was actually a honorable assassin trying to stop the carnage his own way, leading to some team-up, or they can go the implied way and have it that Scorpion killed the young Sub-Zero and now he really is going after the real, older Sub-Zero.

Last little comment, but I find it interesting that should this reboot take much of the storyline from MK2, it will still be the first to use anything from that game, since the two previous MK movies used MK1 and MK3, respectively.


#21

Calleja

Calleja

What they're gonna have a problem explaining is Sub-Zero's powers... at least given the realistic-ish context they gave the others in the trailer. What are they gonna go with? Liquid nitrogen sprays in the gloves?


#22

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Calleja said:
What they're gonna have a problem explaining is Sub-Zero's powers... at least given the realistic-ish context they gave the others in the trailer. What are they gonna go with? Liquid nitrogen sprays in the gloves?
Click to expand...
Actually I think that will probably be it. People took a still picture of the "flash" of Sub-Zeros face while Scorpion is thinking about him, and he is wearing something that looks more like a mechanical mask rather then his straight ninja-mask. This could mean his "armor" is more of a contraption that may be filled with liquid nitrogen and use hoses to pump it to his victims. He just grabs someone and the liquid streams from his hands.

Really, I am more curious if they will bring in the "good" combatants. It already looks like Sonya and Jax will play a background role with the police, and Johnny Cage is dead. Liu Kang might not even be used at all to distance itself from the first movies, and I really don't see Raiden appearing since Scorpion does not look like someone that needs an advisor. Kitana seems like the only one I see appearing, just because they will probably want to have a kickass hot exotic supporting ass.


#23

bhamv3

bhamv3

Kung Lao (sans unrealistic hat) could make a return, and play a role in the tournament, though I think he'd probably be a good guy rather than a serial killer.

Kano would be a good bet as a serial killer in the tournament. Not sure how they'd do his metal face though. A mask might work.

We're probably not going to see Goro/Motaro/Kintaro, right?

Also, if they do go with the "elder Sub-Zero was the one killed" storyline, are we going to see Noob Saibot?


#24



Rubicon

checkeredhat said:
IMDB lists a new Mortal Kombat movie for 2013, so this looks to fit that. Although their listing does say the project is held up in a legal battle right now.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0293429/

I liked Jax fitting in lines like "Fatality" and "Finish Him". That was a bit of fan service that paid off with me.

...It certainly can't be any worse than the old ones!
Click to expand...
Agreed, fitting in the little things from the game sold me. Plus it has Michael Jai White, dude has always been badass, just hasnt been so lucky with his carrier as other action stars :(


#25

ElJuski

ElJuski

For the record...

http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-new-mortal-kombat-teaser-is-an-extreme-fatalit,41940/

but, like the AVClub says, I'm sure this will get picked up.


#26



Matt²

according to Jeri Ryan from her Twitter.. "It's not a game trailer. Actually was made for the director to sell WB on his vision for a reimagined MK film. More MK FAQs: I did it as a favor to a friend. No idea yet what WB's reaction to it was. And I'm not sure how you can contact WB to push them to make it. But you guys are resourceful...! ;-) "


#27

Null

Null

Michael Jai White and Jeri Ryan as Jax and Sonya Blade? I like those picks.

So this is a teaser to stir up interest. I like that idea, and the execution looked great.


#28

Calleja

Calleja

Jeri Ryan's too old, though, me thinks.


#29

PatrThom

PatrThom

Still trying to figure out how they're going to deal with Johnny being dead.

--Patrick


#30



Matt²

Calleja said:
Jeri Ryan's too old, though, me thinks.
Click to expand...
You shut your filthy muggle mouth!!


#31

Ravenpoe

Ravenpoe

PatrThom said:
Still trying to figure out how they're going to deal with Johnny being dead.

--Patrick
Click to expand...
It seemed to work fine in the games.


#32

Calleja

Calleja

Matt²;397580][QUOTE=Calleja said:
Jeri Ryan's too old, though, me thinks.
Click to expand...
You shut your filthy muggle mouth!![/QUOTE]

Whaaat, I'm not saying she's not insanely hot... but that doesn't make her young enough to play Sonya.


#33

bhamv3

bhamv3

Sonya doesn't have to be young though, she just has to be an ass-kicking cop.


#34

SpecialKO

SpecialKO

bhamv3 said:
Sonya doesn't have to be young though, she just has to be an ass-kicking cop.
Click to expand...
Agreed. I think they would be smart to have fewer characters fighting (a la Mortal Kombat) in favor of having bigger fights from the guys who have to fight. One of the problems with the previous movies (among many, many problems) was how every major character, practically, got their starring fight.

I'd be happy with Jax and Sonya getting a couple kick-ass moments, but no story-stopping fights.


#35

ElJuski

ElJuski

PatrThom said:
Still trying to figure out how they're going to deal with Johnny being dead.

--Patrick
Click to expand...
I think they just did. In like the two minutes you got to see. He's dead.

BOOSH


#36

Fun Size

Fun Size

Ooh, now there's a new game trailer to match (well, not match exactly but still).

You know, I'm a long way from the guy who used to love brutally destroying his friends on MK2, but that trailer made me remember, just for a moment, how good it was.


#37



Matt²

Jack Thompson was right.


#38

Null

Null

Matt² said:
Jack Thompson was right.
Click to expand...
That has literally never been true.


#39



Matt²

Jack Thompson said:
These games are murder simulators
Click to expand...
What else would you call the graphic depiction of someone being purposely dragged personally backwards through a saw blade?
Accidental?


#40

bhamv3

bhamv3

Matt² said:
Jack Thompson said:
These games are murder simulators
Click to expand...
What else would you call the graphic depiction of someone being purposely dragged personally backwards through a saw blade?
Accidental?
Click to expand...
They're "murder simulators" like Pong is a table tennis simulator.


#41



Matt²

bhamv3;398184][QUOTE=Matt² said:
Jack Thompson said:
These games are murder simulators
Click to expand...
What else would you call the graphic depiction of someone being purposely dragged personally backwards through a saw blade?
Accidental?
Click to expand...
They're "murder simulators" like Pong is a table tennis simulator.[/QUOTE]

Interesting if not totally ineffective comparison - Pong is actually meant to portray table tennis though as a game since at the time it was created the hardware and software limitations prevented it from being more realistic - it didn't do an *accurate* enough description. The new Mortal Kombat game however, is fully 3d rendered with human anatomy descriptions and depictions and blood and gore, so it is very much more accurate in it's depiction of murder. Not simply murder, but violent, depraved, psychopathic murder.

I find the game, and the review video, reprehensible.


#42

bhamv3

bhamv3

Matt²;398221][QUOTE=bhamv3;398184][QUOTE=Matt² said:
Jack Thompson said:
These games are murder simulators
Click to expand...
What else would you call the graphic depiction of someone being purposely dragged personally backwards through a saw blade?
Accidental?
Click to expand...
They're "murder simulators" like Pong is a table tennis simulator.[/QUOTE]

Interesting if not totally ineffective comparison - Pong is actually meant to portray table tennis though as a game since at the time it was created the hardware and software limitations prevented it from being more realistic - it didn't do an *accurate* enough description. The new Mortal Kombat game however, is fully 3d rendered with human anatomy descriptions and depictions and blood and gore, so it is very much more accurate in it's depiction of murder. Not simply murder, but violent, depraved, psychopathic murder.

I find the game, and the review video, reprehensible.[/QUOTE]

My point is that Pong only resembles table tennis in the most superficial way possible. It's about two players knocking a ball back and forth within a predetermined playing area, but that's it. Being good at Pong doesn't make me any better at table tennis. It might pique my interest in table tennis, sure, but it's not a simulation. Not with any reasonable level of accuracy or realism.

Similarly, the Mortal Kombat games only resemble murders in a superficial way. It's about inflicting damage and hurting a person until they die, but that's it. Being good at Mortal Kombat doesn't make me any better at killing people. It might indulge my violent urges, sure, but it's not a simulation. Not with any reasonable level of accuracy or realism.

To me, the word "simulation" implies a level of realism and accuracy. A flight simulator attempts to recreate the act of flying an airplane, as realistically as possible. A military simulator is designed to predict the outcome of combat scenarios as accurately as possible. Even games like Sim City, Sim Tower, Sim Farm, Sim Ant, the Sims etc are expected to live up to the "sim" part of their name through realism.

This is why I find it ludicrous when people like Jack Thompson say violent video games are a simulation of real life violence. Playing Quake doesn't teach me how to fire a gun. Playing Mortal Kombat doesn't teach me how to fight. Playing Grand Theft Auto doesn't teach me how to jack cars. Playing Assassin's Creed doesn't teach me how to blend into crowds and avoid the authorities.

Now, perhaps there's a case for violent games desensitizing us to violence, but I think that's a different issue.


#43

ElJuski

ElJuski

There's no denying that Fatalities were made with the specific purpose of watching something fucking disguisting happen, as a little shot of happy to the reptilian, blood-lusting part of our brains. The Gladiators are still around; they're just digital now.

I don't find Mortal Kombat bad on a moral level because none of those characters are realistic or sympathetic. They're rag dolls. And yes, that's also testament to the desensitization of violence, as there have been plenty of conversations here about those japanese rape games.


#44

Shegokigo

Shegokigo

So wait, is Saw a directional video for murder/suicide machines? If so I'm damn well passed the introductory levels.


#45

ElJuski

ElJuski

The Saw franchise isn't a simulator, it's just torture porn.


#46

Shegokigo

Shegokigo

My case in point exactly.


#47

ElJuski

ElJuski

Semantics aside, I think the real issue is how, regardless of format or reality, we're engaging in what is considered morally reprehensible. The principle of the thing more than the implication of the thing, though there are still implications that stem from these media outlets than a realistic application.


#48



Chazwozel

Piotyr said:
It's either the most egregious waste of fan money in history, or it's real.
Click to expand...

The guy playing sergeant Jackson is the same actor that played Spawn. I don't think this is fanmade.


#49

tegid

tegid

I also think this is not a 'murder simulatior' because, even if some may find fatalities an important part of the game, the focus is not on them. You don't even have full control over them. It's like saying that a movie with sex scenes is porn or something, I dunno (I know the parallelism was very weak, but still...)


#50

Fun Size

Fun Size

While I think that making it more realistic may be becoming distasteful (one of the draws of MK was the cartoonish, B-movie quality of the over-the-top violence), I think the issue with referring to it as a murder simulator is that you're not simulating murder any more than a war game does. It simulates killing to be sure, and should I ever find myself in a battle to the death against an ice spewing opponent, then I might find that I have been trained dispatch of such an individual (assuming I first figured out how to turn my hat into a saw blade that spins on the ground).


#51

ElJuski

ElJuski

Chazwozel;398307][QUOTE=Piotyr said:
It's either the most egregious waste of fan money in history, or it's real.
Click to expand...

The guy playing sergeant Jackson is the same actor that played Spawn. I don't think this is fanmade.[/QUOTE]

everyone is way ahead of this point now, guy.


#52

ThatNickGuy

ThatNickGuy

Chazwozel;398307][QUOTE=Piotyr said:
It's either the most egregious waste of fan money in history, or it's real.
Click to expand...

The guy playing sergeant Jackson is the same actor that played BLACK MOTHERFUCKING DYNAMITE. I don't think this is fanmade.[/QUOTE]

Fixed that for ya with a more recent and MUCH more awesome movie.


#53

phil

phil

Is dragging someone through a buzzsaw crotch first murder? Yes. Is that saw in the video actually a hat that's just spinning on the ground while giving the finger to the laws of physics? Also yes.

I think Mortal Kombat is as much a murder simulator as any other game where violence solves your problem. Do those goombas want to be stomped on? No, but Mario does it anyway. Murder. Does Link go around saving the kingdom from the forces of darkness? Or does he just go around murdering people with a sword until he's murdered the right people and no longer has to murder anyone? I'm not qualified to say.


#54



Chibibar

bhamv3;398184][QUOTE=Matt² said:
Jack Thompson said:
These games are murder simulators
Click to expand...
What else would you call the graphic depiction of someone being purposely dragged personally backwards through a saw blade?
Accidental?
Click to expand...
They're "murder simulators" like Pong is a table tennis simulator.[/QUOTE]

well.. if you can toss a hat to the ground and make it turn on its own without any form of engine at all and use it as a saw. then yea... it would be a murder simulator ;)


#55

Shawn

Shawn

So based on what some of you folks are saying and what some sites are saying this isn't a scene from the film, but just something that a production company put together in the hopes of drumming up finances to actually make a feature film. That being said a lot of changes could occur between now and then, such as overall story and actors.
It's an interesting concept, but I don't know how far they could actually go with it. Sure they can explain Reptile, Baraka, and even Scorpion, but how are they going to realistically explain pretty much everyone else? They can't all be surgical freaks of nature.

Raiden: Jim O'Reiley put a fork in the toaster. Now he's able to shock you.

Goro: Siamese twins where one twin is inside the other except for his arms that stick out the side.


#56

Shegokigo

Shegokigo

I wouldn't have been able to explain Reptile if they hadn't put him in this short (ex: They made mention of his head eating, but not that he had acid spit) They seem to have really good ideas so far.


#57

bhamv3

bhamv3

They wouldn't have to explain everyone though, simply because they're not obligated to include every character. Trying to cram too many characters into the movie, just for fan service, is a bad idea. Just look at Spider Man 3.

I just remembered Kabal from MK3. He could work. Man, I have so many fond memories of how cheap he was.


#58

checkeredhat

checkeredhat

Shegokigo said:
I wouldn't have been able to explain Reptile if they hadn't put him in this short (ex: They made mention of his head eating, but not that he had acid spit) They seem to have really good ideas so far.
Click to expand...
Yeah, if they can get away with chalking Reptile up to a birth defect and Barraka up to cosmetic surgery, I don't see why Goro, Raiden, and Sub Zero couldn't be explained in similar manners. Goro could be another birth defect and Raiden and Sub Zero could each have devices that shoot electricity and liquid notrogen, respectively. Heck, they might even just get away with not explaining it at all, like Scorpion in this clip. The word "realistic" is used incredibly loosely in movies these days, so whether any of this would be possible in the real world (hint: it wouldn't) doesn't matter, its just using things more grounded in reality to explain things that aren't.

At no point in 300 did they attempt to explain that giant ogre thing, or the other giant ogre thing with the saws for hands, or the goat headed dude, but I didn't care. I'd be approaching this with a similar mindset.

---------- Post added at 04:00 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:52 PM ----------
bhamv3 said:
They wouldn't have to explain everyone though, simply because they're not obligated to include every character. Trying to cram too many characters into the movie, just for fan service, is a bad idea. Just look at Spider Man 3.
Click to expand...
I really don't think that was the problem with Spider-Man 3. Not that it wasn't horrible, it absolutely was. But I don't fell like the number of characters was the problem. The problem was with how the characters were handled. Sam Raimi (well, maybe not, but someone) could have juggled introducing Sandman, Venom and Gwen Stacey into the mix, but he didn't want to because he hates Venom

Hell, look at the X-Men franchise. Even Brett Ratner's third one wasn't a complete screw up in comparison to Spider-Man 3.

Its difficult, definitely, but it can be done.


That being said, if they introduced literally EVERY Mortal Kombat character, yes, it'd be a jumbled mess. But there are definitely certain characters I think they'd need to have or it couldn't be considered a MK movie. Liu Kang, for example, was never mentioned in the trailer, but he'd pretty much need to be there.


#59

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

I think it would be better for them to either drop or consolidate some characters. Like, instead of having Kano and Kabal, just make it so Kano uses Kabal's swords to fight. Instead of having Sektor and Cyrax, just have a single robot with some traits from both (net and missles), or just drop one, or even both.

Really, the only characters that NEED to be in it at all are Sub-Zero and Scorpion. They have always been the two iconic characters for me, which is why I always was annoying they just kept running with the Bruce Lee wannabe in the movies, and later on even the games shifted heavily to the fireball spammer. (Oh no Liu Kang was killed in Deadly Alliance! Lets make everyone else get murdered now because how can they win without the hero!? Bad guys win!)

As for how they would be in this "real" take on the MK world. I have a few ideas. Have it so Shang Tsung is a man obsessed with perfection and is holding the events to collect the worlds best and most ruthless warriors and assassins. Goro will be a past winner that Shang took and experimented on, sewing on two new arms and attaching them to the fighters brain, becoming one of the last people Scorpion must defeat. As Scorpion finally hunts Sub-Zero (or works with him, depending on how they bend the story), we find out that Shang has taken the "parts" of all the fighters Scorpion killed and attached them to himself using the same process used on Goro, making him a deadly yet grotesque creature that he deems to be perfect. It would fit with the weird nature shown in the trailer, be more grounded, and keep the "essence" of what Shang was, a person that stole abilities and forms.


#60

SpecialKO

SpecialKO

If they wanted to preserve some element of the old mythology, couldn't they have a setup where Shang Tsung is, in fact, a sorcerer from another plane, and the blood-letting in the tournament is the sacrifice he needs to bring the Outland dimension to Earth, changing the nature of reality around him, and transforming the various killers and freaks that surround him into more mystical/magical variants?

That would jive rather well with the pitch film as the introduction, basically unchanged.


#61

bhamv3

bhamv3

The feeling I got from the trailer is that they want to avoid all the supernatural and interdimensional stuff.


#62

Silver Jelly

Silver Jelly

Me like! But I barely know Mortal Kombat though.


#63

bhamv3

bhamv3

Silver Jelly said:
Me like! But I barely know Mortal Kombat though.
Click to expand...
It's all right, a couple of drinks, a few severed heads, and you'll be the best of friends. :)


#64

ElJuski

ElJuski

bhamv3 said:
The feeling I got from the trailer is that they want to avoid all the supernatural and interdimensional stuff.
Click to expand...
Which is a good thing, although I miss my black smoke ninja man.


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