Mortal Kombat Movies in Order and IMDb Scores 

With Mortal Kombat II set to release next Spring, there’s never been a better time to take a deep dive into the franchise by watching the Mortal Kombat movies in order. Hollywood loves to nurture a video game-to-movie franchise, and back in the 90s, New Line Cinema was quick to cash in on the growing popularity of Midway Games’ Mortal Kombat.  

From its high-octane live-action movies that thrill the masses to animated films that speak to a lore-hungry fandom, the Mortal Kombat film franchise boasts hours of 90s gaming nostalgia and mesmerising martial arts choreography. 

What order should I watch the movies in? 

Between the live-action and animated offerings, there are nine full-length Mortal Kombat Movies to watch. If you’re a newcomer to the franchise, it’s best to consume the live-action and animated movies separately, and each in release date order. However, if you’re ready to fully invest and immerse yourself in the Mortal Kombat movies timeline, test your might, with this blended media fan favourite watch order: 

  1. Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins (animated, 1995) 

  2. Mortal Kombat (live action, 1995) 

  3. Mortal Kombat Annihilation (live action, 1997) 

  4. Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge (animated, 2020) 

  5. Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms (animated, 2021) 

  6. Mortal Kombat (live action reboot, 2021) 

  7. Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind (animated, 2022) 

  8. Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match (animated, 2023) 

  9. Mortal Kombat II (live action, coming soon) 

The live-action Mortal Kombat Movie List 

Our live-action Mortal Kombat movies guide takes you through the collection in release date order. As the IMDb ratings show, Hollywood may love to bring video game plots to the big screen, but their offerings can be notoriously hit or miss. 

Mortal Kombat (1995, IMDb rating 5.8/10) 

True to the premise of the Mortal Kombat video games, the first live-action movie follows a team of Earthrealm warriors who fight formidable foes (and their own inner demons) to prevent evil Shang Tsung from taking over Earth. The film stars Robin Shou as Liu Kang, an exceptional martial artist, Linden Ashby as Hollywood martial arts actor Johnny Cage, and Bridgette Wilson as US Special Forces agent Sonya Blade. 

The movie garnered mixed reviews. By staying true to the game lore, it kept gaming fans happy, though some felt the raw brutality of the battles was toned down too much. The movie's fight choreography, rich visuals and set designs, and techno-inspired soundtrack were a hit among all viewers, helping to detract from moments of corny dialogue and some clunky special effects. 

Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997, IMDb rating 3.6/10) 

With the lowest Mortal Kombat IMDb rating in the franchise, it will come as no surprise that some MK superfans recommend skipping the 1997 sequel altogether. Based on the third Mortal Kombat video game, the movie follows Liu Kang and a largely recast set of characters as they endeavour to hold back the attacks of the previously defeated Shao Kahn. 

Though this movie attempts to ramp up the action with more warriors and bigger fight scenes, the loss of cast members, a rushed script, and poorly executed special effects left moviegoers underwhelmed and stalled the live-action franchise for nearly two decades.

Mortal Kombat (2021, IMDb rating 6.1/10) 

Rebooting the franchise, 2021’s Mortal Kombat successfully pulled in a fresh new audience and appeased those stung by the disappointment of Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. The plot centres around MMA fighter Cole Young (played by Lewis Tan), who, hunted by Cryomancer Sub-Zero, seeks the allyship of Sonya Blade and Liu Kang, played by Jessica McNamee and Ludi Lin. Young, unaware of his legendary bloodline, soon finds himself training at Lord Raiden’s temple, in preparation for a universe-changing battle against the Outworld. 

This Mortal Kombat movie ranked highest in the live-action collection on IMDb, thanks to its faithfulness to the video game and lore, which seems to tie in nicely with the sequel. Not quite a knock-out on the martial arts front, this movie did land punches with its special effects.  

Mortal Kombat II (2026) 

The newest addition to the Mortal Kombat movie list, Mortal Kombat II, is set to be released in May 2026. Returning cast members will bring continuity to this new chapter of the franchise, with a tournament-focused sequel that includes fan-favourite Johnny Cage. Mortal Kombat II promises to bring the intensity of the original video games with a depth of tournament lore and character development the fans have been craving. 

The animated Mortal Kombat movie list 

For hardcore Mortal Kombat fans and movie buffs who like to explore every corner of a franchise multiverse, the animated movies are well worth a watch. Though animation quality varies and plots lean into predictable tropes, there’s plenty to love with the gritty game lore, engaging fight scenes, and stellar voice acting. 

  • Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins (1995, IMDb rating 3.5/10) - As the prequel to the entire franchise, this animation sets the character lore of Kang, Cage, and Blade as they travel by boat to the Mortal Kombat tournament. 

  • Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge (2020, IMDb rating 7.4/10) - This popular instalment serves to separate the animated movies from the live action, establishing standalone storylines, following Hanzo Hasashi as he avenges his lost loved ones in an explosive interdimensional battle. 

  • Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realm (2021, IMDb rating 6.5/10) - Capturing your attention with split stories, Battle of the Realm sees the Earthrealm warriors adventure to the Outworld while Scorpion continues his quest to defeat Sub-Zero. 

  • Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind (2022, IMDb rating 6.7/10) - With the Earthrealm now a bleak wasteland, will young warrior Kenshi rise up and save the day? 

  • Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match (2023, IMDb rating 5.9/10) - Offering the origin story of charismatic Johnny Cage, Cage Match pays homage to the 80s, complete with Jennifer Grey as Johnny’s co-star and a predictable 80s action movie trope.  

Whether you spent hours in the 90s conquering realms on your console or just have a soft spot for martial arts and the good overcoming evil genre, the Mortal Kombat franchise is full-on, fun, and generally a KO.  

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