Mortal Kombat movie producer explains why a certain character isn't in the movie

Kalentan · Mar 18, 2021

See the threadmark for a longer additional explanation from them.

(Original post)

'Mortal Kombat' producer explains why you won't see Johnny Cage in the movie

'Mortal Kombat' producer Todd Garner spills the bloody beans on why they created a brand new lead character for the violent adaptation.

www.inverse.com

Lastly, one more problem Garner and his team had was the unsavory idea of a white character (like Johnny Cage) being the hero who saves everyone. (Tan is mixed-race Chinese-British.) In Mortal Kombat lore, Johnny Cage is a Hollywood star who enters the tournament to prove he isn’t a pampered, spoiled A-lister. While Cage is rarely the capital-H hero in any given Mortal Kombat game, he is always somewhere near the center bringing levity to the serious stakes.

Garner didn’t confirm the precise whereabouts of Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat (his name came up a few times during the interview) but his absence thus far suggests the filmmakers are trying something different.

“I feel like if I was getting to make a movie with a diverse cast, it felt weird to have a white actor, literally Johnny Cage, be the hero of the story,” Garner says, adding that these discussions took place at the start of the movie’s pre-production nearly seven years ago “way before Black Lives Matter” and other pushes for diversity across industries including Hollywood.

Maybe it's just me but anyone find this explanation... kind of bullshit? Johnny Cage wasn't the central hero of the original movie, and nor was he ever the central hero of any of the games (even if he did get a larger role in MKX, which even then was quickly passed to his daughter) .

Like why would Johnny Cage need to take on a "white savior" role to be in the movie? Can't he just play a similar role that he did in the original or MK9..?

lucebuce · Mar 18, 2021

I get how Johnny Cage's original schtick isn't as endearing as it was back when some of the actors he was supposed to be a parody of were still relevant but I don't see why you can't tweak the character and bit and have him fit just fine. MKX and MK11 did just that.

Soupman Prime · Mar 18, 2021

Is Johnny Cage the hero of the story in the other MK movies? It’s been a long long time since I’ve seen the first one but isn’t Liu Kang the hero? I’m sure they could’ve had Cage in the movie and have him be a side guy or something.

Kalentan · Mar 18, 2021

Soupman Prime said:
Is Johnny Cage the hero of the store in the other MK movies? It’s been a long long time since I’ve seen the first one but isn’t Liu Kang the hero? I’m sure they could’ve had Cage in the movie and have him be a side guy or something.

Johnny Cage dies in the first few minutes of the 2nd movie. And in that animated movie they recently released he wasn't the protagonist either.

Fury451 · Mar 18, 2021

That sounds made up. Cage, Raiden and Sonya were like the backup heroes to Liu Kang.

Kinthey · Mar 18, 2021

Yeah don't really get that explanation. He doesn't automatically have to be the hero. You could even have fun with it, like set him up as the savior and then he gets killed halfway in

lazygecko · Mar 18, 2021

Soupman Prime said:
Is Johnny Cage the hero of the story in the other MK movies? It’s been a long long time since I’ve seen the first one but isn’t Liu Kang the hero? I’m sure they could’ve had Cage in the movie and have him be a side guy or something.

Liu Kang was the protagonist and Cage was the comic relief guy in the original. Which is what makes this reasoning so damn weird given the precedents.

Lord Fanny · Mar 18, 2021

I can only assume that this Director was only familiar with the newer games, specifically MKX and 11 where Cage and his daughter have much more prominent roles. That's the only way I can really make sense of those comments.

RecRoulette · Mar 18, 2021

Johnny Cage Tiktok superstar would've been great.

these discussions took place at the start of the movie’s pre-production nearly seven years ago “way before Black Lives Matter” and other pushes for diversity across industries including Hollywood.

Hmmmmmmmm

Ross62 · Mar 18, 2021

I don’t get what’s confusing, he wanted the main heroes to be women and PoC and didn’t want to focus on someone like Johnny Cage

Sargerus · Mar 18, 2021

Soupman Prime said:
Is Johnny Cage the hero of the story in the other MK movies? It’s been a long long time since I’ve seen the first one but isn’t Liu Kang the hero? I’m sure they could’ve had Cage in the movie and have him be a side guy or something.

The only game JC was sort of a protagonist was MKX and only because they needed to sell Cassie as the true main hero.

Bishop89 · Mar 18, 2021

Yukari · Mar 18, 2021

Made no sense. Cage is just a one of the main good sides.

Lost Lemurian · Mar 18, 2021

Yeah, this is a weird answer, because (as OP points out) Johnny wasn't the hero or main protagonist of the original. If anything, he's the comic relief.

lucebuce said:
I get how Johnny Cage's original schtick isn't as endearing as it was back when some of the actors he was supposed to be a parody of were still relevant but I don't see why you can't tweak the character and bit and have him fit just fine. MKX and MK11 did just that.

Johnny Cage could so easily be a YouTube star who makes martial arts videos. Like, it's such a simple transition.

sredgrin · Mar 18, 2021

I imagine it's mostly about centering Scorpion / Sub Zero (and Cole who is clearly related to one of them), and pushing LK to the side, that is the lead factor. They didn't want to make LK related to them, and so the only option for the role would have either been lead (wouldn't doubt it if the script started with Cage as the lead) or an overstuffed cast.

kurahador · Mar 18, 2021

Sounds like he doesn't watch the old movie, the new animated movie, the tv series or at the very least wiki-ed the modern games story. Unless he thought the question is asking why Cage isn't the hero.

Keyser S · Mar 18, 2021

Cage is more the 'scene stealing' type rather than lead.

DarthMasta · Mar 18, 2021

Cage was the Jack Burton, not the hero. Liu Kang is the hero. If you want to be more edgy about it, Scorpion is the hero. Cage is in over his head, makes jokes, you're kinda surprised when he ends up being useful.

Soupman Prime · Mar 18, 2021

Ross62 said:
I don’t get what’s confusing, he wanted the main heroes to be women and PoC and didn’t want to focus on someone like Johnny Cage

Then don’t focus on him? They could give more time to Jax,Sonya, Kung Lao and Liu Kang easily.

Im not even the one asking for Cage because all I want from MK is Subzero not getting his ass kicked by Scorpion all the time but that reasoning is silly unless it’s a swerve.

Kalentan · Mar 18, 2021

Sargerus said:
The only game JC was sort of a protagonist was MKX and only because they needed to sell Cassie as the true main hero.

The only point I'd say that Cage is the "Hero" is in like... the flashbacks/start of MKX. Otherwise it's all about Cassie. That's it. Otherwise he's just a major character, but never the main hero.

Watchtower · Mar 18, 2021

Lost Lemurian said:
Johnny Cage could so easily be a YouTube star who makes martial arts videos. Like, it's such a simple transition.

I don't think you even have to go that far. Initially he was a straight parody of the likes of JCVD, now just make him a satirical throwback to the same.

Ross62 said:
I don’t get what’s confusing, he wanted the main heroes to be women and PoC and didn’t want to focus on someone like Johnny Cage

In the first movie Cage has one of the more notable parts with him fight with Goro but Liu Kang is absolutely 100% the central character. And in the second movie Cage eats shit and croaks within the first 15 minutes.

Bonejack · Mar 18, 2021

Strange take. Especially on Cage being "the hero".

When i think of MK, it's always Liu Kang being the hero.

Ross62 · Mar 18, 2021

Soupman Prime said:
Then don’t focus on him? They could give more time to Jax,Sonya, Kung Lao and Liu Kang easily.

Im not even the one asking for Cage because all I want from MK is Subzero not getting his ass kicked by Scorpion all the time but that reasoning is silly unless it’s a swerve.

Why have him in at all if your not focusing on him?

excelsiorlef · Mar 18, 2021

Edit: Nevermind I'm wrong here

John Kowalski · Mar 18, 2021

Kind of reads like it's not the whole story.

Kalentan · Mar 18, 2021

Ross62 said:
Why have him in at all if your not focusing on him?

Why have any other characters in the story at all then with that logic?

HomerSimpson-Man · Mar 18, 2021

What?

That reasoning makes no damn sense. Cage is part of an ensemble cast of characters.

Just because he is white doesn't mean he will or has to automatically be the central main. This not even really be asked by fans for his inclusion. In the original movie Lui Kang was lead. Cage was the comic relief and used as the audience character archetype to ask questions in the original.

spineduke · Mar 18, 2021

I'm fine with Cage missing out on this. We'll miss his ball busting, but not much else.

tomakasatnav · Mar 18, 2021

OK but why isn't Chun Li in the movie?

Noppie · Mar 18, 2021

Ross62 said:
Why have him in at all if your not focusing on him?

Movies have side characters in fact, the vast majority of characters in movies aren't 'the focus' of their respective movie. Doesn't mean you don't include them because of that.

I'm not arguing putting Johnny Cage in there, but to say 'We'd have to make him the white savior and focus on him in our movie' just seems like poor logic. It's not one extreme or the other. Their choice in the end, obviously.

obin_gam · Mar 18, 2021

Something something John Harrison

kurahador · Mar 18, 2021

RecRoulette said:
Hmmmmmmmm

Is it just me or that quote made it sounds like the original script was supposed to feature Cage as the hero, but then the push for diversity happen....?

jph139 · Mar 18, 2021

I mean, end of the day, movie is like 90 minutes and there's only so much you can fit in. Kind of a BS explanation but I buy the "he wasn't a character we wanted to focus on" idea.

Ross62 · Mar 18, 2021

Kalentan said:
Why have any other characters in the story at all then with that logic?

Because they have a story to tell with them

Deleted member 82064 · Mar 18, 2021

Soupman Prime said:
Is Johnny Cage the hero of the story in the other MK movies? It’s been a long long time since I’ve seen the first one but isn’t Liu Kang the hero? I’m sure they could’ve had Cage in the movie and have him be a side guy or something.

Cage was kind the lovable asshole. I think there was bit more to work with his role then other people in the first movie, so he pretty much became favorite for many.
But MK has tons of characters so you can't include everyone. It's ok to toss Cage out since he isn't central figure.

...I have only played original trilogy :D So I don't know what his role is these days.

Kalentan said:
Johnny Cage dies in the first few minutes of the 2nd movie. And in that animated movie they recently released he wasn't the protagonist either.

BTW what's the story here? Why did they kill him off straight out? Seemed like many people liked his character. Was there some BTS drama or was it just how it went?

RecRoulette · Mar 18, 2021

kurahador said:
Is it just me or that quote made it sounds like the original script was supposed to feature Cage as the hero, but then the push for diversity happen....?

It's a weird thing to tack on at the end. Like doubling down on something no one asked about lol

Lord Fanny · Mar 18, 2021

Ross62 said:
I don’t get what’s confusing, he wanted the main heroes to be women and PoC and didn’t want to focus on someone like Johnny Cage

I mean, he doesn't have to be the focus. And is that Cole Young character a PoC? I thought he was white, but may be wrong.

unknownspectator · Mar 18, 2021

you know, they could have just cast a non white actor for Cage.

Watchtower · Mar 18, 2021

Ross62 said:
Why have him in at all if your not focusing on him?

Ever since the reboot MK has had a consistently chunky ensemble cast. Some characters are going to naturally be lesser than others for the sake of the plot - trying to make all of them equally important is the Spider-Man "Too Many Villains" Problem. No reason why Cage can't be on the lesser end of things; hell, in 9 he was largely comic relief that kept getting his ass whupped.

Nightfall · Mar 18, 2021

Soupman Prime said:
Then don’t focus on him? They could give more time to Jax,Sonya, Kung Lao and Liu Kang easily.

Im not even the one asking for Cage because all I want from MK is Subzero not getting his ass kicked by Scorpion all the time but that reasoning is silly unless it’s a swerve.

That's more difficult in Hollywood. Producers (which are usually white) want white, bland protagonists. If the character was there then a producer or studio boss would have likely pushed to shift the focus on him to be the relatable average joe. Producers and studio heads do have much more say in those matters than the director.
With cutting the character you can at least steer around this a little. I totally get the reasoning. Still I think the new guy which we've seen in the trailers will later become a new kind of Johnny Cage.

excelsiorlef · Mar 18, 2021

Lord Fanny said:
I mean, he doesn't have to be the focus. And is that Cole Young character a PoC? I thought he was white, but may be wrong.

The actor's father is Chinese.

I thought the character was white too (hadn't seen anything of him just his name)

I was wrong

Ross62 · Mar 18, 2021

Lord Fanny said:
I mean, he doesn't have to be the focus. And is that Cole Young character a PoC? I thought he was white, but may be wrong.

No

Lewis Singwah Tan was born in Salford, England, and was raised primarily in Los Angeles, living also in France, Thailand, Spain, and China. Tan identifies as half-Chinese, half-British. His father, Philip Tan, is a martial artist, actor, and stunt coordinator of Chinese descent from Singapore.

Flavius · Mar 18, 2021

DarthMasta said:
Cage was the Jack Burton, not the hero. Liu Kang is the hero.

I think that is his point, though. Most people just remember Jack Burton.

excelsiorlef · Mar 18, 2021

unknownspectator said:
you know, they could have just cast a non white actor for Cage.

Yeah

This is annoying because Johnny Cage is such a needed comedic character

Lord Panda · Mar 18, 2021

Liu Kang has always been the hero.

Lord Fanny · Mar 18, 2021

Ross62 said:
Why have him in at all if your not focusing on him?

Cage is more of a comedic relief character. He's really only ever been the 'focus' of the story in MKX and, to a lesser degree MK11. You don't have to focus on a character for them to be there, especially when you are replacing him with another character who seems to fit his same role more or less.

Ross62 said:
Because they have a story to tell with them

Well, that's a different reasoning, and one that makes more sense. If he just doesn't fit your story, that's fine. It's just weird to say, 'well, he can't be there because he has to be the focus.' Unless there is a larger story behind the scenes here, it's just strange.

excelsiorlef said:
The actor's father is Chinese.

I thought the character was white too (hadn't seen anything of him just his name)

I was wrong

Ross62 said:
No

Ah, I see. My mistake then.

Kalentan · Mar 18, 2021

Flavius said:
I think that is his point, though. Most people just remember Jack Burton.

I mean that's probably a bad example because Jack was still the POV character.

scitek · Mar 18, 2021

OK, but where's Stryker?

FormatCompatible · Mar 18, 2021

Lord Fanny said:
I mean, he doesn't have to be the focus. And is that Cole Young character a PoC? I thought he was white, but may be wrong.

Cole is played by Lewis Tan, who is half-Chinese half-British.

Edit: sorry already posted.

excelsiorlef · Mar 18, 2021

I still do think Cole will end up being Johnny Cage, like his character name is so generic I can see that he goes far in the tourney (maybe wins it?) and gets noticed by someone who suggests his name is boring and they decide to call him Johnny Cage

Mortal Kombat movie producer explains why a certain character isn't in the movie

Community Resettler

One Winged Slayer

What Are Ya' Selling?

One Winged Slayer

User requested account closure

One Winged Slayer

One Winged Slayer