A new report brings word that Warner Bros. is developing multiple installments in its Mortal Kombat film franchise following the hit reboot. Based on Ed Boon and John Tobias' fighting video game franchise of the same name, the story centers on washed-up mixed martial arts fighter Cole Young who is hunted down by the super-powered assassin Sub-Zero. Upon meeting special forces soldiers Sonya Blade and Jackson "Jax" Briggs, he learns he was chosen to defend Earthrealm against the soul-eating sorcerer Shang Tsung and his evil army of Outworld in the latest Mortal Kombat tournament.

Mortal Kombat hit theaters internationally on April 8 and simultaneously in theaters and HBO Max on April 23 in the U.S. and became a smash hit for WB. Though receiving generally mixed reviews from critics, the film saw the best reception of a Mortal Kombat adaptation thus far from critics and audiences alike and was a financial hit, grossing over $83.6 million worldwide against its $55 million budget and becoming the most-successful film launch for the streaming platform. With this success, the filmmakers and stars have teased the potential for future installments in the franchise and it appears the studio is also considering the same.

Variety has shared a new report breaking down Dune's impending release and its need for both its theatrical and HBO Max debuts to be successful for a sequel to be greenlit. The report also explores other HBO Max day-and-date releases with potential for future installments, namely Mortal Kombat. Insiders report that the video game adaptation is one of said titles that the studio is still in talks with its filmmakers to produce a sequel, with WB specifically eyeing "other installments" in the Mortal Kombat universe.


While the film didn't dominate the box office in the same way Godzilla vs. Kong did the month prior, Mortal Kombat has certainly been seen by all as a major success for the studio. Grossing its production budget at the box office alone, the film also still sits as the most-streamed title to launch on the platform, coming ahead of similarly anticipated projects The Suicide Squad, Godzilla vs. Kong and Zack Snyder's Justice League. Given the filmmakers have frequently discussed their plans for the future, including co-writer Greg Russo revealing he envisioned the reboot as a trilogy and Sub-Zero star Joe Taslim stating his contract encapsulates four sequels should the film be successful.

Despite the report seemingly confirming the sequels to be in the works, it should be noted WB is reportedly looking for "other installments" in its Mortal Kombat universe. With the report centering on HBO Max releases, it seems safe to say the studio is eyeing follow-ups to the live-action film, though given they also produce an animated film series based on the video games, they could also be referring to these over another big-budget adaptation. While fans await word on whether a sequel gets off the ground, the latest Mortal Kombat is now available to stream on HBO Max.