Kano was a standout character in the 2021 Mortal Kombat reboot movie, but he will likely be overshadowed by another popular character in Mortal Kombat includes Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Joe Taslim. Throughout the movie, Kano constantly challenged the other characters and had several one-liners that were hilarious.

Kano debuted in the very first Mortal Kombat game and has been a major character in the franchise ever since. Since he was such a standout character in the movie, it was shocking when Sonya Blade killed Kano in Mortal Kombat. Even though he did not survive until the Mortal Kombat 2 is exciting, since he is always an entertaining character. However, Kano will likely be overshadowed by fan-favorite character Johnny Cage in the sequel.

Kano Was Clearly The Best Character In Mortal Kombat's 2021 Movie

Kano Stole The Show In Mortal Kombat's 2021 Movie

2021's Mortal Kombat may not have been loved by all fans. Many have complained that the film focused too much on new character Cole Young and not enough on longtime franchise characters like Liu Kang, Raiden, Scorpion, and Sub-Zero. Regardless of the criticisms, almost all fans agree that Kano is a standout character in the film. Kano has always been a ing character in the Mortal Kombat franchise, and Lawson's ing role in the 2021 film managed to stand out the most among the pack.

Out of all the characters in 2021's Mortal Kombat, Lawson's Kano has the strongest screen presence.

Throughout the movie, Kano has several hilarious one-liners and clever comebacks. Even though he is extremely irritating to the other characters in the movie, he is always great to watch. Out of all the characters in 2021's Mortal Kombat, Lawson's Kano has the strongest screen presence. He references other franchises like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, and always keeps viewers guessing what he's going to say next. Overall, Kano is the most entertaining character in the 2021 Mortal Kombat movie.

Karl Urban's Johnny Cage Will Challenge Kano For The Title Of Mortal Kombat 2's Standout Character

Johnny Cage Will Likely Get A Lot Of Screen Time In Mortal Kombat 2

Kano is easily one of the most cocky characters in the Mortal Kombat franchise. He stood out in the 2021 film because he was always dead set on besting characters like Cole, Sonya, and Jax. However, there is another Mortal Kombat character who is arguably more cocky than Kano. The Mortal Kombat 2 will see Karl Urban portray Johnny Cage, a famous actor and martial artist.

Related
Mortal Kombat 2's Kano Revival Hints At A Major Multiverse Element Of The Sequel Movie

Mortal Kombat 2 is bringing back Kano, which could be the perfect way to directly tie the new film to the same shared multiverse of the games.

4

After being teased at the end of 2021's Mortal Kombat, there is an immense amount of hype for Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 2. Johnny Cage has always been one of the most popular Mortal Kombat characters. Even though he is very cocky, he often does back it up with his fighting skills. Furthermore, Johnny Cage always has the best intentions, unlike Kano. The fact that Urban is playing Johnny Cage makes his inclusion in Mortal Kombat 2 even more exciting. Urban is an extremely charismatic actor, and will likely steal the spotlight from Lawson in Mortal Kombat 2.

Kano Will Be An Even More Unpredictable Wildcard In Mortal Kombat 2

Kano Will Return In Mortal Kombat 2

At the beginning of 2021's Mortal Kombat, Kano actually worked with Earthrealm's warriors. However, in typical Kano fashion, he quickly turned on them when he was offered a lot of money. This led to Sonya killing him. Even though he died in the first movie, it has been confirmed that Kano will be appearing in Mortal Kombat 2. While it is not clear exactly how Kano will return, Shang Tsung stated that "death is just another portal" at the end of 2021's Mortal Kombat. Therefore, it's possible the sorcerer will revive Kano.

Kano fighting for Outworld means that he could potentially fight against Johnny Cage in the Mortal Kombat tournament.

After the events of the first movie, it is unlikely Kano will ever want to work with Earthrealm's warriors again. Therefore, he will likely be fighting for Outworld in the Mortal Kombat tournament. Kano fits in much better with the villains of Outworld, and it will be great to see him interact with other characters from the franchise. Additionally, Kano fighting for Outworld means that he could potentially fight against Johnny Cage in the Mortal Kombat tournament, which would undoubtedly be one of the most entertaining fights in Mortal Kombat 2.

Mortal Kombat 2 poster
Mortal Kombat 2
R
Action
Martial Arts
Supernatural
Adventure
Release Date
October 24, 2025
Director
Simon McQuoid
Writers
Jeremy Slater
Prequel(s)
Mortal Kombat
Franchise(s)
Mortal Kombat
  • Headshot Of Karl Urban In The Premiere Of Thor Ragnarok
    Johnny Cage
  • Headshot Of Adeline Rudolph
    Adeline Rudolph
    Kitana
  • Headshot Of Jessica McNamee
    Jessica McNamee
    Sonya Blade
  • Headshot Of Josh Lawson
    Josh Lawson
    Kano

The sequel to the Mortal Kombat 2021 film franchise reboot, Mortal Kombat 2, will follow the original cast and new faces as they prepare for the Mortal Kombat tournament. Cole Young and his allies will continue training and enlisting new warriors to prepare for the contest between Earthrealm and Outworld, which will determine the fate of humanity.

Studio(s)
Atomic Monster Productions, Broken Road Productions, New Line Cinema
Distributor(s)
Warner Bros. Pictures