Mortal Kombat actors get film work

The brothers Pesina get gig in upcoming comedy Press Start; actors who played Raiden, Johnny Cage will spoof gaming culture.

Mortal Kombat

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When Mortal Kombat burst onto the arcade scene in the early 1990s, many gamers were taken aback by how the characters looked like real people. Of course, they were real people--digitized and animated. In fact, the majority of the combatants were the models of two brothers, Carlos and Daniel Pesina. Carlos provided the likeness for Raiden, and Daniel played Johnny Cage, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Reptile.

Now the brothers Pesina are getting back into the game...sort of. The two will be featured in Dark Maze Studios' game spoof Press Start. According to director Ed Glaser's blog, the Pesinas will be playing roles that "pay homage to the game characters for which they are so well known."

Press Start doesn't target one game for its low-budget slapstick but games in general--from classics such as Donkey Kong to modern first-person shooters. However, much of the flick will get its material and gags from the days of 8- and 16-bit gaming. The movie centers on a youngster who, with the aid of a cranky ninja and a hardcore space marine, must fulfill his destiny to save the world from a "tyrannical, but comically insecure, sorcerer."

"What we lack in money," said Glaser, "we make up for in poverty. So we're running on passion and ingenuity."

The movie is expected to be completed sometime this year. For more information and publicity photos, check out the film's official Web site.

60 Comments

  • eliteman24

    Posted Nov 2, 2007 6:37 pm PT

    the movie is awesome, it doesnt have a budget, but the jokes are hillarious

  • Mercenary-X

    Posted Oct 2, 2007 10:44 pm PT

    heh, dunno how I found this article. But I should definitely look into finding this on DVD.

  • Tranceplant

    Posted Mar 13, 2006 6:03 pm PT

    I see that no one reads carefuly the news or doesn't even check out all of the comments... PATHETIC.
    Stop talking about MK hollywood movies... NOW.

  • skitzocyko

    Posted Mar 13, 2006 9:46 am PT

    Probably better than house of the dead or bloodrayne!!!

  • Seraphim_24

    Posted Mar 13, 2006 8:33 am PT

    What would make this movie infinately better for me is if the premise read something like this: "The movie centers on a youngster who, with the aid of a cranky ninja and hardcore space marine, must fulfill his destiny to save the world from a "tyrannical, but comically insecure, senator ." I think we all know who I mean... (Cough*Hillary*cough)

  • deStampedo

    Posted Mar 13, 2006 7:07 am PT

    how could this be bad... its like the 'scary movie' of gaming

  • Ohidjwae

    Posted Mar 13, 2006 5:59 am PT

    Does anyone even READ the articles before they post a comment? This has NOTHING to do with the Mortal Kombat movies!!! You have to read more than just the headline people!

    Geez. . .

    Anyhow, I never realized that most of the MK characters were actually just two guys. I guess when the graphics aren't all that detailed, you can get away with stuff like that.

  • chrisdojo

    Posted Mar 13, 2006 5:19 am PT

    wait.....the people in the mortal kombat movie were real? lol

  • bioniccommando1

    Posted Mar 13, 2006 5:11 am PT

    Anyone ever seen Joystick the movie? LOL

  • ewjim

    Posted Mar 12, 2006 11:57 pm PT

    It MUST BE GOOD!!! So, i'm waiting!

  • DELTAsnake

    Posted Mar 12, 2006 3:42 pm PT

    Wow that takes me back, I spent so much time on the old 2d MK games that my teachers thought I'd become a homisidal maniac, but then again, they were the type of teachers that thought computers are a pasing trend.

  • Legacy

    Posted Mar 12, 2006 11:55 am PT

    I have a feeling its not going to pull through well....

  • Pyro978

    Posted Mar 12, 2006 1:13 am PT

    mortal kombat 1 set the stage for violent games.....

  • metdevthegamer

    Posted Mar 12, 2006 12:40 am PT

    I'd go and watch it All of these other Hollywood big budget movies suck.

  • DarthMenen

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 11:20 pm PT

    sounds faintly interesting, maybe I will rent it when it is released on dvd, but I doubt I will watch it.

  • starfoxmcleoud

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 8:34 pm PT

    The first Mortal Kombat was a classic, as for this....can't wait! Hope Keri Hoskins (Sonya) and Sal DaVita (Scorpion) is in it!!

  • Timstuff

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 7:08 pm PT

    Sounds awesome!

  • umd1998

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 4:53 pm PT

    Cool. I never knew the MK game characters were the same two guys digitized in different costumes...

  • nemes1s3000

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 2:55 pm PT

    Could be fun.

  • gellis1981

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 1:56 pm PT

    When mortal kombat came out in '95 it was tha bomb...one of the first movies I remember to use alot of special effects...I can't watch it now, but when it was in the theaters I watched it like 4 times.

  • gellis1981

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 1:52 pm PT

    Wow, I feel soo old..I can still remember going to the arcade and playing Mortal Kombat...when was that out like 14 years ago? LOL and some people didn't even know they used real models..lol someone thought they used clay figures...lol....nothing beats old skool ..you little punks.

  • Flat_Line_____

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 11:14 am PT

    Dah Dah da da da dah, Dah, Dah da da dah dah .........FIIIIGHT!! srry had too....

  • lageasy311

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 10:58 am PT

    BOOM!!!!! headshot!!!!!!!!!

  • khmerboy12

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 10:36 am PT

    The idiots who keep mentioning that this is going to be an MK movie must really lack reading comprehesion bacause its not going to be an MK movie you idiots! Read the article before you post. Morons.

  • reece590

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 10:00 am PT

    Great, another movie based after a game.....This one better be good...

  • insane956dv

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 9:25 am PT

    who cares as long as its funny

  • alcarazo9

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 9:15 am PT

    videogame comedyt awesome

  • Achilles438

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 7:25 am PT

    Cool another Mk movie, I hope they include the rest of the story in this one.

  • Hellisunreal

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 6:11 am PT

    I hope this movie is good

  • umaque

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 4:21 am PT

    [This message was deleted at the request of a moderator or administrator]

  • thefjk

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 3:04 am PT

    Aah! This reminds me of Old-School of gaming! The 2D World we all loved and enjoyed!

  • Orasion_Seiz

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 2:44 am PT

    okay lets see how this turns out

  • jerico6

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 2:29 am PT

    If this movie sucks, I swear...

  • Reetesh

    Posted Mar 11, 2006 2:11 am PT

    I too hope this is Funny and with sich a BIG audience I think it wil, be a great success

  • DjRyu420

    Posted Mar 10, 2006 11:32 pm PT

    MOOOORRRRTTTALLLL KOOOOMMMMMBBBBAAAAATTT!!

  • townsenda1

    Posted Mar 10, 2006 11:10 pm PT

    The first mortal kombat wasn't too bad, the second was the best though. This works for me.

  • Kizmet

    Posted Mar 10, 2006 10:54 pm PT

    I didnt even know those guys were still alive.

  • jakeboudville

    Posted Mar 10, 2006 10:37 pm PT

    sounds interesting.........

  • Solarsonic7

    Posted Mar 10, 2006 9:42 pm PT

    Yeah, this isn't about the MK movies... The first Mortal Kombat was the only good movie based on a game. But then the sequel came. I'm interested in seeing how this turns out.

  • i_love_my_ds

    Posted Mar 10, 2006 8:47 pm PT

    the MK movies suuuuuuuucccccckkkkkkkk.......

  • NeoJedi

    Posted Mar 10, 2006 8:43 pm PT

    Hmmm, I have my reserves about this movie...

  • StealthyBurrito

    Posted Mar 10, 2006 8:10 pm PT

    This is probably the only work they will be getting any time soon

  • ferrarimanf355

    Posted Mar 10, 2006 7:37 pm PT

    Score one for creativity, I suppose. I'm interested to see how this turns out...

  • 247k

    Posted Mar 10, 2006 7:17 pm PT

    Sounds good!

  • revelations

    Posted Mar 10, 2006 7:06 pm PT

    Funny stuff!

  • AlexWills

    Posted Mar 10, 2006 6:57 pm PT

    Why post this in news? You should put it in a new category "NoOne Cares"

  • Tranceplant

    Posted Mar 10, 2006 6:38 pm PT

    Why are you talking about the MK movies? I think you didn't understood the article very well... these actors have NOTHING to do with the hollywood movies. These guys are the actors who appears the characters IN THE GAME! Basically, they did the MOCAP, I think. But the characters (such as Raiden or Scorpion, etc) you see on the screen, it's THEM in COSTUMES. Okay, I think you get the point now. Now, speak no more of the MK movies, please.

  • HappyTimeAlways

    Posted Mar 10, 2006 6:23 pm PT

    the first mk movie was stupid and the second one suck big time

  • SystemShock2

    Posted Mar 10, 2006 6:16 pm PT

    well, it's related to mortal kombat so i'm seeing it, no matter how crappy.

  • joeamis

    Posted Mar 10, 2006 6:15 pm PT

    A comedy about aspects from countless videogames, esp 8 and 16 bit... This could very well be the first goodmovie involving videogames. Sounds like it will be different from EVERY vg movie that has been cliched and/or drastically different from the vg. Maybe not, I dunno after seeing photos from the film. Wait and see, I hope they've only done shooting on the ninja part and that it's not allll ninja based. Perhaps the news could be misleading.

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