Before the official trailer for *Mortal Kombat II* is unveiled, Warner Bros. sneakily shared a parody movie preview as part of its clever marketing strategy for the film’s main character, Johnny Cage, portrayed by Karl Urban from *The Boys*. Initially, when *Mortal Kombat* was released in 2021, fans of NetherRealm’s popular fighting game series were puzzled by the absence of Johnny Cage from the movie.
To rectify past errors, Warner Bros. is heavily promoting Cage as the focal point of the upcoming sequel. Promptly after announcing Karl Urban, known for his roles in *Star Trek*, *Dredd*, and *Lord of the Rings*, Warner Bros. offered a glimpse of the actor-turned martial arts fighter in a trailer for one of his fictional movies within the *Mortal Kombat* universe called *Uncaged Fury*.
A notable feature of this playful trailer, emphasizing Cage’s persona as the franchise’s resident actor, is that it is not available on Warner Bros.’ official YouTube channel. Instead, it can only be accessed on the website dedicated to Cage’s in-universe action film, *Uncaged Fury*. To discover this trailer, fans had to navigate through a discreet IMDb page created by Warner Bros. for Cage, which listed various films he has supposedly starred in, including *Uncaged Fury*.
The more internet-savvy individuals managed to find a link leading to the website for *Uncaged Fury*, where clicking on an image of Cage making a rude gesture redirected them to Warner Bros.’ private trailer. This elaborate marketing approach may seem as puzzling as experiencing one of the game’s fatalities firsthand – thankfully saving fans from scouring the internet for a sneak peek at Cage before the official release of *Mortal Kombat II*’s trailer.
For those questioning Warner Bros.’ unconventional advertising tactics, it all ties back to Cage’s portrayal as an esteemed Hollywood actor entering into the realm of the fighting tournament in *Mortal Kombat*. This aspect of his character has persisted since the original video game in 1992 up to now. A man who proudly displays his surname tattooed across his belly surely deserves significant recognition in what promises to be a fatality-packed showdown with Cage at its core in *Mortal Kombat II*.
According to Ed Boon, co-creator of *Mortal Kombat*, “[Johnny Cage’s] integration into the *Mortal Kombat* story and universe is a significant theme explored in this movie.” In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he added, “He’s a faded Hollywood personality thrown into this mystical and ultra-violent scenario. Karl brings a fresh perspective to his depiction of Johnny Cage compared to our games. There’s novelty and originality that he injects into it.”
*Mortal Kombat II* will hit theaters on October 24th.