Mortal Kombat III Greenlit Before The 2026 Sequel Even Arrives
Before the 2026 sequel even hits theaters, Mortal Kombat III is already locked in — the next brutal round of the franchise is officially on the way.
New Line just did the very modern studio thing and hit go on Mortal Kombat III before Mortal Kombat II even gets to throw a punch in theaters. Aggressive? Yep. Surprising? Also yep.
What New Line just locked in
Per Deadline, New Line has officially greenlit Mortal Kombat III. Jeremy Slater, who wrote the upcoming Mortal Kombat II, is back to script the third film. Slater took over writing duties on the sequel after Greg Russo and Dave Callaham handled the 2021 reboot, and now he is sticking around for another round.
No release date yet for MK III, and no director has been announced. If you are connecting the obvious dots: Simon McQuoid directed the 2021 movie and the sequel, so he would be the logical pick to return. The timing also suggests the studio is feeling bullish off the sequel's online trailer engagement and early buzz.
But first, Mortal Kombat II
The sequel hits theaters May 15, 2026. It had been planned to open later this month before getting bumped, and according to Slater, the movie has actually been finished for a while. Early test screenings have been stacked with Mortal Kombat fans, and the reactions, at least in those rooms, have been loud in a good way. Grain of salt that fan screenings are not the same as general audiences, but still, not a bad sign.
"I am so excited for people to see the movie. It has been done for a while. We have been waiting for the right release date and waiting for the right window. I have been to those test screenings, which are full of Mortal Kombat fans, and watching them react to it the way I reacted to Avengers: Endgame. They were cheering and jumping out of their seats. Every joke is landing and they are loving it. It is one of the greatest moments of my life. That is why you get into this business."
Who is fighting whom this time
- New blood: Johnny Cage, played by Karl Urban. Yes, that Karl Urban. Also joining are Kitana (Adeline Rudolph) and Jade (Tati Gabrielle).
- Returning fighters: Sonya Blade (Jessica McNamee), Kano (Josh Lawson), and Jax (Mehcad Brooks). And yes, Kano is back somehow - it is Mortal Kombat, do not overthink it.
Why a third film now
Greenlighting MK III before MK II opens is a statement: New Line clearly thinks the franchise has legs on the big screen again. That is notable if you remember how it went last time around - the 90s delivered just two movies, 1995's Mortal Kombat and 1997's Mortal Kombat Annihilation, and then things went quiet theatrically for decades.
Bottom line: MK II is locked for May 2026, the studio is betting big enough to order MK III early, and Slater is steering the script again. If MK III actually makes it in front of cameras, that is a serious vote of confidence in the brand. Are you in for another round?