Mortal Kombat 2 producer Todd Garner has confirmed that fan-favorite fighter Baraka will appear in the upcoming sequel to 2021’s Mortal Kombat.
On Twitter, Garner shared a photo from the set of Mortal Kombat 2. The photo features a chair belonging to Baraka, confirming that the Tarkatan villain will appear in the film. That said, it remains to be seen who will actually play Baraka in Mortal Kombat 2.
Who is Mortal Kombat’s Baraka?
Fittingly, Baraka first appeared as a playable fighter in the 1993 arcade title Mortal Kombat II. He has since become a staple of the fighting game franchise, most recently appearing in 2019’s Mortal Kombat 11. Dennis Keiffer previously played Baraka in the 1997 film Mortal Kombat Annihilation, itself a sequel to 1995’s Mortal Kombat.
In the games, Baraka is the general of Tarkatan Horde. He serves the Empire of Outworld, remaining ever loyal to the villainous Shao Kahn and his half-Tarkatan daughter, Mileena. Baraka is perhaps best known for the long, retractable Tarkatan blades that extend from his forearms.
Who is in Mortal Kombat 2?
Baraka is not the only franchise staple who will appear in Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema‘s Mortal Kombat 2 after previously sitting out the 2019 film. Additional characters joining the fray in the sequel include the aforementioned Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford), as well as Johnny Cage (Karl Urban), Jade (Tati Gabrielle), Kitana (Adeline Rudolph), Sindel (Ana Thu Nguyen), and Quan Chi (Damon Herriman). Additionally, Desmond Chiam will play King Jerrod, a non-playable character from the games.
Of course, a number of actors from 2019’s Mortal Kombat will also be reprising their roles for the sequel. These include Lewis Tan as Cole Young, Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, Mehcad Brooks as Jackson “Jax” Briggs, Tadanobu Asano as Raiden, Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Chin Han as Shang Tsung, and Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion.
Mortal Kombat 2 is also expected to feature the return of Josh Lawson as Kano, despite the character’s apparent death in the first film. Similarly, Joe Taslim will reprise his role as Bi-Han. Instead of Sub-Zero, however, Bi-Han is expected to assume the identity of Noob Saibot this time around.
Mortal Kombat 2 is directed by Simon McQuoid from a screenplay by Jeremy Slater. The film does not yet have a release date.