Mortal Kombat II Release Date Moves Up One Week to May 8, 2026

Warner Bros. has once again adjusted the release date for Mortal Kombat II—this time moving it up. The anticipated sequel will now hit theaters on May 8, 2026, a week earlier than the previously announced May 15 date.

Originally set to release on October 24, 2025, the film was delayed earlier this year in a move the studio described as a strategic decision to give the franchise a bigger theatrical window in early summer.

The new May 8 release reinforces that plan, positioning Mortal Kombat II as one of the first major action films of summer 2026.

About the Sequel

From New Line Cinema, Mortal Kombat II continues the blood-soaked saga of Earthrealm’s champions as they face off in a no-holds-barred battle to stop Shao Kahn’s dark rule.

The cast includes:

Karl Urban as Johnny Cage
Lewis Tan as Cole Young
Adeline Rudolph as Kitana
Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi / Scorpion
Joe Taslim as Bi-Han / Noob Saibot
Tadanobu Asano as Raiden
Chin Han, Mehcad Brooks, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Tati Gabrielle, Damon Herriman, and others

Director Simon McQuoid returns alongside screenwriter Jeremy Slater, with production by Todd Garner, James Wan, Toby Emmerich, E. Bennett Walsh, and McQuoid. The film is based on the video game series created by Ed Boon and John Tobias.

Why the Move?

The shift from October 2025 to May 2026 was originally made to avoid a crowded fall slate and Halloween-adjacent box office weakness. Now, the earlier May 8 date gives Mortal Kombat II a stronger start to the summer movie season, well before Memorial Day competition.

At New York Comic Con, the creative team described the sequel as a “massive summer blockbuster,” emphasizing that it was “filmed for IMAX” and will feature more fights, more fatalities, and bigger stakes across multiple realms.

The release date change also pushes it further from Disney’s release of their new Star Wars movie, The Mandalorian & Grogu, on May 22nd.