Mortal Kombat director Simon McQuoid detailed why Scorpion's look was altered and elaborated on for the new film.
McQuoid spoke to IGN about the new Mortal Kombat trailer and all the ways it honors the video game franchise. But he also explained how this new version deviates in a few key respects. One major element is the design of Hanzo Hasashi, the man who becomes Scorpion. Played by Hiroyuki Sanada in the film, the team behind the film drew from history to make the character look and feel more authentic.
"Hiroyuki Sanada was really incredibly helpful in getting the Japanese history right on this character," McQuoid said. "We really wanted to be very true to his heritage and make it feel very genuine. That's really why it was born out of this touch of samurai about it. Obviously, there's been many, many versions of Scorpion’s costume and how he looks, but out of authenticity came this version of Scorpion that kind of felt real, but also felt very powerful."
"The costumes needed a lot of detail in them, they needed a lot of texture and layering, so that they felt they had purpose rather than just being a costume," McQuoid continued. "[Scorpion’s costume] needed to have the armor plating with the detail in it and had a sort of dignity and elegance about it, which matched his character from the beginning."
Beyond his iconic yellow ninja outfit, Scorpion is best known for his signature weapon, a chained-spearhead that allows him to attack enemies and pull them close (and gives him his name). And the origin of the brutal weapon is not what new viewers might expect.
"We did a bit of research into what a kunai actually is, and it was originally, not exclusively, but it was often used as a gardening tool in 14th century, Japan," McQuoid explained. "That's why [Scorpion] has the kunai on the end of that rope, because that's all he has at the time. You'll see how he sort of adapts and turns that rope and that gardening tool into a pretty lethal weapon that really does the job."
Scorpion's origin will be tied to Sub-Zero, as the trailer teases. And McQuoid promises it will be something to behold.
"It's really about seeing [Scorpion’s] evolution on the screen and the ingredients, both emotional and physical as to why he becomes Scorpion. And so that is explained across the opening of our film. And it's a pretty brutal, nasty fight," McQuoid said.
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.
Source: IGN