Mortal Kombat II hits HBO Max on July 24

Mortal Kombat II is coming to HBO Max on Friday, July 24, roughly two months after its theatrical run. An ASL version using Visual Vernacular — a form that blends ASL, mime, facial expressions, and body movement — premieres the same day. The film then moves to HBO linear on Saturday, July 25, at 8pm ET.

The sequel directed by Simon McQuoid grossed $129.4 million globally against a reported $90 million budget. It hit digital platforms in late June before this streaming window. Critics have warmed to it more than the 2021 original — it currently sits at 65% on Rotten Tomatoes versus the first film's 55%. IGN scored it 8/10, calling it "big and loud and gruesome and not afraid to have fun."

Mortal Kombat II is a direct follow-up to the 2021 reboot, itself a fresh take on the franchise Ed Boon and John Tobias created. The series has a long live-action history — Paul W.S. Anderson's 1995 film and the widely panned Mortal Kombat: Annihilation in 1997 came before the modern reboot. The franchise is now owned by Warner Bros. Games, though Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. adds some uncertainty about where the film series goes from here.

Mortal Kombat III was already in development before the sequel even opened in theaters, though updates have been quiet since. The bigger question hanging over the franchise is how Paramount's involvement reshapes its future on both the big screen and streaming.