If you're going to make a movie that doesn't just have fights in it, but is about fighting, you need actors who can make fights look good. For the upcoming Mortal Kombat, getting fighters who can act was a crucial part of casting, as shown in the latest featurette. Watch it above.
"I come from a fighting background," says actor Lewis Tan, who plays Cole Young in Mortal Kombat, and is best known for the television series Wu Assassins and Into the Badlands. "Real martial arts to me is similar to acting because it's all about expression."
Another of the central players is Joe Taslim (The Raid: Redemption, Fast & Furious 6), who plays Sub-Zero. "I knew he was going to be Sub-Zero from day one," says director Simon McQuoid. "Joe's got that pure athleticism."
Hiroyuki Sanada, who plays Scorpion, is also known for The Last Samurai, the original Japanese Ring film, and tons of other stuff. "We tried to make a contrast between Sub-Zero and Scorpion," he explains in the video. "A mixture between game and authentic Japanese style."
"Watching those two on set was one of the great privileges I'll ever have in my life," McQuoid says.
Check out the full feature above for many more behind-the-scenes looks at Mortal Kombat's action.
Mortal Kombat hits theaters and HBO Max on April 23, and will be available on the streaming service for one month before it moves to regular On Demand platforms. While you wait, check out the brand new take on the classic Mortal Kombat theme, Techno Syndrome or find out which of your favorite ultra-violent Kombatants will show up in the film. If you're worried about it being a reboot of a video game franchise, the director says it doesn't deviate far from the source, and that it pushes its R-Rating. You could also go back to the original film, directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, and check out every Easter egg we could find.