The Mortal Kombat Movie Will Push Its R-Rating To The Limit

The Mortal Kombat movie has already secured its R-rating, which was great news for any fans still concerned about the movie's commitment to the franchise's signature brutality even after that red band trailer. But in case there were any lingering doubts, director Simon McQuoid has assured fans even the R will be pushed to its absolute limits in the movie.

During an interview with SFX Magazine, McQuoid explained that the Mortal Kombat team was set on getting away with as much "blood, gore, and fatalities" as possible--and yes, that includes having characters get their hearts torn right out of their chests, of course.

McQuoid explained that "obviously, there's a point where the film becomes unreleasable if you push it too far, and that would be a very unwise return on investment for the studio. But from day one it’s been, 'Okay, we’re doing this and we’re going to do it properly'."

The film's producer Tony Garner also assured that their team's first conversation with the studio involved assurance of the rating, to which they responded that there was "no other way" for the movie to happen.

Naturally, this leaves a lot of room for speculation as to just how far the movie will be allowed to go, given the breadth of the violence and gore showcased in the game franchise. Impromptu open heart surgery is one thing, and we've already seen Sub Zero using his powers for some pretty extreme amputation on Jax in the trailer, but will we see Scorpion straight up rend an opponent in half with his chain? Or Kung Lao spray someone's entrails all over the arena after gutting them like a fish? Only time will tell.

The new Mortal Kombat movie hits HBO Max on April 16.