Mortal Kombat director Simon McQuoid has hinted that he may not return to helm a potential third instalment, as the franchise’s future remains uncertain. McQuoid, who directed both recent live-action adaptations of NetherRealm Studios’ iconic fighting game series, explained in an interview with TheWrap why he might step away from Mortal Kombat 3. He also admitted that he was unsure how to provide a meaningful update on the film’s current status.
"I think it's still going through its life cycle," McQuoid said when asked for an update on the third movie or if he would come back. "So, I don't know yet. I'm not sure.
"Well, I feel like there are other stories that I want to tell that aren’t necessarily in Mortal Kombat and I have multiple things in development," McQuoid said, "one of which we’re just casting now and that’s not Mortal Kombat at all, something that is in the real world and very much a deep dive into a singular character and character study. I’m excited about it. But I never want to close doors. I’m just always trying to open doors."
Mortal Kombat 3 may be facing an uncertain future, despite having already entered development. Screenwriter Jeremy Slater confirmed at New York Comic Con in 2025 that he had started working on the third film, saying New Line and Warner Bros. were extremely pleased with Mortal Kombat 2.
That announcement, however, may have come too soon. The reboot launched in 2021, bringing characters such as Scorpion and Sub-Zero back to cinemas, but Mortal Kombat 2 did not arrive until May 2026, five years later. By then, Slater had already announced plans for another sequel.
The long gap between films also failed to generate enough audience interest, despite the return of fan favourites and the introduction of characters such as Johnny Cage, played by Karl Urban, and Kitana, played by Adeline Rudolph.
Mortal Kombat 2 opened to around $63 million globally, falling short of earlier box-office expectations. Its eventual worldwide total reached approximately $129 million. While that exceeded its reported $80 million production budget, additional marketing and distribution costs mean the film was hardly considered a major commercial success.
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