When Mortal Kombat 1 was introduced in Might, one of many first (and most fascinating) particulars revealed concerning the recreation was its inclusion of actor/martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme making an look as Johnny Cage. Van Damme is partially chargeable for the very existence of Mortal Kombat; he declined to look in a proposed arcade recreation from then-developer Halfway, main MK co-creators Ed Boon and John Tobias to give you an unique combating recreation mission as an alternative.
Now, only a week earlier than Mortal Kombat 1 is launched in early entry, we lastly get a take a look at Van Damme as Johnny Cage in an sudden manner: by way of Ed Boon’s appearance on talk show Hot Ones, the place friends endure scorching sauces of more and more excruciating warmth ranges whereas being interviewed. Boon talks briefly about Van Damme’s historical past with the franchise whereas a 71,000 Scoville-unit scorching wing does a Fatality on his tongue.
“After we made the very first recreation, our unique intention was to make Van Damme: The Arcade Recreation,” Boon stated, between winces. “Bloodsport was large, and Common Soldier, so we referred to as his individuals and we’re like, ‘We wish to make a recreation based mostly on Van Damme.’ And I don’t know if he declined, or it simply by no means obtained to him, however [we were] a few 20-something-year-old children who needed to make a online game. I might see how Van Damme might go ‘No, no we’re not doing this.’ We tried various occasions, going backwards and forwards with him. This time, we hit the lottery and we obtained him.”
The actor’s look in Mortal Kombat 1 seems to be based mostly on Van Damme in his youthful Bloodsport/Kickboxer period. He’s wearing a fancy dress almost equivalent to that of the unique Johnny Cage design — belt, slippers, and spandex shorts — launched in 1992’s Mortal Kombat.
Within the very temporary snippet of Van Damme as Cage, we see him about to struggle the different Johnny Cage in his Hollywood residence, with traditional Sonya Blade gearing as much as help JCVD as a Kameo Fighter. Little question the pre-match Cage-vs-Cage dialogue will probably be enjoyable when it’s lastly revealed.
Van Damme isn’t the one acquainted movie star face in Mortal Kombat 1. On Wednesday, developer NetherRealm Studios and Warner Bros. revealed that actor Megan Fox would be the face and voice of Nitara, the vampiric Mortal Kombat character from the “3D Period” that Mortal Kombat 1 is drawing liberally from. Different well-known people showing in MK1 embody John Cena as Peacemaker, Antony Starr as Homelander, and J.Okay. Simmons because the voice of Omni-Man. These three characters are a part of MK1’s first Kombat Pack.
Mortal Kombat 1 is coming to Nintendo Change, PlayStation 5, Home windows PC, and Xbox Sequence X on Sept. 19. 5 days of early entry to the sport is on the market by the Premium Version, which incorporates the sport, its first Kombat Pack, and the Jean-Claude Van Damme Johnny Cage pores and skin.