Mortal Kombat Release Date Pushed Back One Week

[ShadeShadow]

Mortal Kombat's release date has been pushed back one week. Fans of the classic fighting video game have been looking forward to another Mortal Kombat movie franchise attempt for years. The reboot comes from Warner Bros. more than two decades after the last movie, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, hit theaters to disappointing results. Anticipation for the new Mortal Kombat only increased after the first trailer delivered a good look at its characters and brutal action.

Originally due to hit theaters at the start of 2021, Warner Bros. delayed Mortal Kombat to April 2021 due to its decision to change its release slate and how the studio's movies will debut. All of WB's 2021 movies will debut in theaters and on HBO Max simultaneously, Mortal Kombat included. These titles will then leave the streaming service after a month and be available only in theaters once again. There will now be a slightly longer wait for those excited to see the franchise's iconic fighters in live-action.

Warner Bros. announced today that Mortal Kombat had been delayed. The movie - which stars Lewis Tan, Hiroyuki Sanada, Joe Taslim, and many more - was previously set for April 16. Mortal Kombat's one-week delay will now see the R-rated movie be released in theaters and on HBO Max on April 23, 2021.

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This late delay for Mortal Kombat shouldn't be any cause for concern and is likely an example of Warner Bros. figuring out the best way to release its backed-up slate. Before pushing back Mortal Kombat, the studio was set to release it only two weeks after Godzilla vs. Kong. The latest chapter of the MonsterVerse is performing very well at the international box office and will debut as most theaters are open domestically. Instead of squeezing Mortal Kombat fairly close to Godzilla vs. Kong, WB smartly gives each property a bit more breathing room.

As more theaters start to open up and vaccinations for COVID-19 rise, Mortal Kombat's performance could be an early sign of how the summer movie season will look. With Black Widow's delay to July 2021, Mortal Kombat will get three weeks as the biggest new movie in theaters until Spiral: From the Book of Saw, released on May 14. Since the video game movie only has a reported budget of $50 million, it won't take much for it to be a financial success. And with the added benefit of potentially drawing subscribers to HBO Max, the hybrid release and lacking competition could help Mortal Kombat leave a major mark on the pop culture landscape.