Filming of the new Mortal Kombat film continues going into December 2019, having started in September. Relatively little has been shared about the film as it continues to develop, but every now and then a casting decision leaks or a member of the cast shares some insider information. One prominent cast member, Liu Kang actor Ludi Lin, is especially comfortable sharing behind-the-scenes Mortal Kombat work. Today Lin had another clip to share with fans, this one leading to a new wave of speculation.
Lin recently shared a clip of some of his fight choreography for the new Mortal Kombat movie on Twitter. The clip is only four seconds long and the fight choreography is being done at half-speed since it's only practice, but there are definitely some interesting details to take note of. One being Liu Kang himself, doing some of his patented sidekicks. Lin looks to be an excellent fit for the agile character. More important, however, are the weapons that Lin's stunt fighter counterpart is using.
The weapons that the stunt fighter is using are unmistakable. They're sword-shaped in general, but have bladed handguards that are crescent-shaped. And, of course, they also have an interesting hook at their ends. These weapons are known as hook swords and are a traditional Chinese weapon often associated with certain schools of martial arts. They also happen to be a weapon used by one Mortal Kombat fighter specifically - Kabal.
It should be noted that Kabal, a former member of Kano's Black Dragon organization with a disfigured face care of an attack by Shao Kahn's extermination squads, is not yet confirmed for the Mortal Kombat film. In other words, Lin's four-second tweet can be considered a leaked confirmation that Kabal will be featured in the film. If the leak proves accurate and isn't just a joke by the stunt crew, Kabal will be the 12th confirmed fighter for the Mortal Kombat film.
The Mortal Kombat movie is quite a way away from release, being a 2021 film, so confirmation of Kabal's role in the movie may be a way off yet. For the time being, fans will just have to assume that a stunt fighter with Nerf hook swords is evidence enough that Kabal is in the film. But it really is more than enough evidence to trust in. The 2021 Mortal Kombat movie is going big. It's not just going to feature Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat 2 characters, for better or worse.
Mortal Kombat arrives in theaters starting March 5, 2021.