Mortal Kombat director Simon McQuoid unsure about returning for a third film

Mortal Kombat director Simon McQuoid says he's not sure whether he'll come back to helm a third film, even if the project moves forward. Speaking to The Wrap, he offered a vague status update on the sequel: "I think it's still going through its life cycle. So, I don't know yet. I'm not sure."

McQuoid directed both recent live-action entries in the franchise, but hinted his attention has shifted elsewhere. "There are other stories that I want to tell that aren't necessarily in Mortal Kombat," he said, adding that he has multiple projects in development — including one currently in casting that he described as a grounded, character-driven story set in the real world. He stopped short of fully closing the door on Mortal Kombat, but the message was clear enough. Screenwriter Jeremy Slater confirmed at New York Comic Con in 2025 that he had started writing a third film, saying New Line and Warner Bros. were "so happy" with the second. That enthusiasm, however, predated the box office results.

Mortal Kombat 2 opened in May 2026 — five years after the first reboot landed in 2021 — and despite pre-release optimism, it pulled in just $63 million globally in its opening weekend. The final worldwide total reached $129 million, which clears the reported $80 million production budget but leaves little room once marketing and distribution costs are factored in. Johnny Cage played by Karl Urban and Kitana played by Adeline Rudolph weren't enough to draw audiences back in meaningful numbers, and the long gap between films didn't help build momentum.

With no release date set and its director eyeing other projects, Mortal Kombat 3 is in a holding pattern at best. Whether the franchise continues on the big screen likely depends on how the studio weighs those underwhelming returns against the IP's enduring popularity.