One of the things fans immediately noticed about the Mortal Kombat reboot trailer is that the film has a very packed cast. That is great news for fans of the video games who want to see as many heroes and villains as possible cutting a bloody path in the tournament as Raiden and Shang Tsung's forces battle for the fate of all the realms.
However, that could result in a convoluted, clustered film, with characters and certain arcs not being given enough time in the limelight. However, with Warner Bros. looking to map out this universe and tell a longer story, it should follow the formula of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and make Shao Kahn its Thanos.
While MCU fans first got a tease of Thanos in the post-credits scene of 2012's The Avengers and he appeared in cameos thereafter, it wasn't until Infinity War that he became a main character audiences got to see in action. This approach created suspense, awe, tension and, most importantly, anticipation.
It also slowly built precursor stories, not necessarily using the Mad Titan, to inform his objectives. The MCU used the Guardians of the Galaxy, Loki and Thor, and others to map out the Infinity Stones, what Thanos wants them for and why he's working with certain shadowy figures to get them -- which made it easy for the Russo brothers to contextualize him wanting to wipe out half the galaxy.
Shao Kahn, spotted as a statue in the trailer, cuts a similarly imposing figure -- mind you, he's not as altruistic. He wants absolute power and control, starting from Outworld, but there's a lot of depth to him too. As Emperor, he raided Edenia, killed the king and took Queen Sindel, then made Kitana, Mileena and so many others his lackeys. There are other intersecting forces as well, such as Baraka's Tarkatans, Sheeva's Shokan race and Reptile's Saurians working under him, not to mention the rivalry with Kotal Kahn and how Shang Tsung wanted to betray him.
To pack in that even into a trilogy would be a challenge, but if Mortal Kombat has spinoffs in addition to the main films, it could cover all that ground. This would give the characters mentioned above, as well as Goro, Kintaro and other loyal soldiers, ample time to show why they sided with Kahn and avoid soldiers getting sold short in the narrative.
In this series, allegiance is important, so it should be explored with such a variety of intriguing characters such as the Black Dragon, Red Dragon and, of course, the Elder Gods. It would also highlight why the likes of Raiden, Shinnok, the Dragon King Onaga and Quan-Chi did what they did to control the realms. In short, everything and everyone connected to the Emperor would help build this mystique as to why he's the most powerful being alive, why he's feared and why he must be toppled.
WB already rushed Darkseid, and that hasn't created as much pomp and circumstance as Thanos. The studio should exercise caution with a property that has so much franchising potential. Such an approach would add nuance to, for example, when Kitana has to betray Kahn and join the heroes. This way, WB has many parts moving fluidly as one to build a more cohesive story like Marvel's Infinity Saga.
It can also cover a lot of genres: action with the Special Forces team Sonya, Jax and Stryker have; comedy with a Johnny Cage spinoff on the less superhuman heroes; mystical adventures with the Shaolin Monks; sci-fi featuring the Lin Kuei making robots like Cyrax, Sektor and Smoke; and even horror involving Netherrealm, Quan-Chi and Smoke seeking out wraiths and monsters. This opens doors for different aesthetics. Additionally, this patient, long-term direction means that studio can assess how it is going and course-correct any mistakes. This way, when everyone comes together for the final fight à la Avengers: Endgame, we'll truly understand their motives.
Directed by Simon McQuoid and produced by James Wan, Mortal Kombat stars Lewis Tan as Cole Young; Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade; Josh Lawson as Kano; Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden; Mehcad Brooks as Jackson "Jax" Bridges; Ludi Lin as Liu Kang; Chin Han as Shang Tsung; Joe Taslim as Bi-Han and Sub-Zero; Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi and Scorpion; Max Huang as Kung Lao; Sisi Stringer as Mileena; Matilda Kimber as Emily Young; and Laura Brent as Allison Young. The film arrives in theaters and on HBO Max April 16.