Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon has discussed NetherRealm’s plans, including another Mortal Kombat game and the possibility of a Street Fighter guest fighter someday.
Mortal Kombat Co-Creator Ed Boon Says Another Game Is Being Pursued
NetherRealm Still Has More Mortal Kombat Plans After Mortal Kombat 1
NetherRealm Studios still has more Mortal Kombat plans in motion after Mortal Kombat 1, according to series co-creator Ed Boon.
In an interview with Collider, Boon said he could not share exactly what NetherRealm is working on at the moment, but said the studio has "a lot of great announcements that are coming." He also said NetherRealm is pursuing another Mortal Kombat game, though the studio has not officially announced its next title.
He also said NetherRealm is doing more beyond just another game, including other forms of media. However, he did not confirm a release window, platforms, title, roster, or whether the next project would be a direct follow-up to Mortal Kombat 1.
Mortal Kombat is a long-running fighting game franchise built around one-on-one battles, violent finishing moves called Fatalities, and a roster of martial artists, ninjas, gods, monsters, and fighters from different realms.
Street Fighter Guest Fighter Is on Boon's Wishlist
He was also asked about guest characters he would still like to see in a future Mortal Kombat game. He said many of the characters he once wanted have already appeared, like Rambo, Terminator, RoboCop, and Ghost Face, to name a few, but added that he would like to see a Street Fighter character in Mortal Kombat someday, noting that he himself is a "huge fan of Street Fighter".
The Mortal Kombat co-creator did not name a specific Street Fighter character, and the comment should not be treated as a confirmed crossover. Still, the idea stands out because Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter have long been seen as rival fighting game franchises.
Mortal Kombat has also leaned into crossover fighters in recent years. Mortal Kombat 1’s official FAQ lists guest fighters such as Omni-Man, Peacemaker, Homelander, Ghostface, Conan the Barbarian, and the T-1000 Terminator across its post-launch content.
No Hard Feelings Over Game Awards Joke
Boon was also asked about a joke made during The Game Awards by Andrew Schulz, who plays Dan in the upcoming Street Fighter movie. The joke referenced the Mortal Kombat II movie cast and led to some online reaction from fans and Mortal Kombat II producer Todd Garner.
According to Boon, there are no hard feelings at the moment. He described it as part of the long-running rivalry between Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter, and said he would like to see both film adaptations do well. "To me, it's just fun. It's a fun thing to kind of rile everybody up on. There's certainly no hard feelings and whatnot. So, at the end of the day, I think we'll see, when both films have been released, how they both did and stuff," he shared.
Mortal Kombat II Arrives in Theaters in 2026
The official Mortal Kombat II movie site lists the film for international release beginning May 6, 2026, followed by a North American theatrical release on May 8, 2026. The film is the follow-up to the 2021 Mortal Kombat movie and is once again based on the video game franchise created by Ed Boon and John Tobias.
The movie’s official synopsis says Earthrealm’s champions, now joined by Johnny Cage, will be forced into a brutal battle against Shao Kahn’s rule. Karl Urban stars as Johnny Cage, while Simon McQuoid returns to direct.
Mortal Kombat 1 remains the latest mainline game in the series. The game is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.
Sources:
Mortal Kombat Creator Breaks Silence on 30-Year-Long Street Fighter Rivalry and More Games
Mortal Kombat II Official Movie Site
