In a surprise move that’s left everyone at Polygon feeling a little bit like our spines have been ripped out of our backs, Warner Bros. has delayed Mortal Kombat 2, the movie previously scheduled for release this October, to May 15, 2026.
“The tournament demands a new time and place, worthy of its spectacle. Mortal Kombat II – only in theaters May 15, 2026,” a post on the official Mortal Kombat movie X account reads.
The move came as a surprise to fans, who have been protesting on X in response to the announcement — but that vehement impatience may be exactly the reason Warner Bros. and New Line decided to bump the film to next spring, traditionally a stronger box-office season for flashy spectacle movies. Reportedly strong positive response to the movie’s first trailer may have suggested to the studios that they have a possible hit on their hands — one that could potentially make a lot more money with a late spring release than a fall one. Mortal Kombat 2‘s trailer has been viewed more than 11 million times on Warner Bros.’ official channel, but a Deadline report says it’s been viewed more than 117 million times across different YouTube channels and social media outlets.
That’s just a guess, however — it’s just as possible that the studios want to rework some aspect of the movie after initial screenings, or that the final VFX work on the heavily digitally altered movie isn’t done. Still, that official framing — “a new time and place worthy of its spectacle” — suggests that someone felt Warner Bros. was wasting the film in a less-auspicious release slot than it deserved.
Polygon has reached out to Warner Bros. for comment and will update when we hear back.