Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema have shifted the release date of Mortal Kombat 2, moving the film from October 24, 2025, to May 15, 2026. The delay pushes the anticipated sequel out of its original fall slot and into the start of next year’s summer movie season.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the decision was influenced by a crowded October box office lineup, which includes 20th Century Studios’ Deliver Me From Nowhere starring Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen, as well as Paramount’s adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s Regretting You. By moving to mid-May, Warner Bros. aims to position Mortal Kombat 2 for stronger box office performance, taking advantage of a period that typically draws larger audiences.
The sequel is directed by Simon McQuoid, returning after helming the 2021 reboot, and written by Jeremy Slater. It will serve as the fourth installment in the Mortal Kombat film franchise. Returning cast members include Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman, Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano, Joe Taslim, and Hiroyuki Sanada. New additions to the ensemble include Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph, and Tati Gabrielle.
Production on Mortal Kombat 2 began in June 2023 in Australia but was interrupted by the SAG-AFTRA strike in July. Filming later resumed in November and officially wrapped in January 2024. Early anticipation for the film has been high, with its red-band trailer reportedly earning 107 million global views, setting a record for the franchise.
The first film in the rebooted series debuted in April 2021 during the pandemic, finding success on both streaming and at the box office. Its sequel has been positioned as a larger-scale continuation, with producer Todd Garner and other creatives previously hinting at possible spin-offs focusing on iconic characters such as Johnny Cage and Bi-Han/Sub-Zero.
With the new date set, Mortal Kombat 2 will now lead off the summer 2026 slate for Warner Bros., where the studio expects it to find a broader audience than in its originally scheduled fall debut.
