‘Mortal Kombat III’ Status Just Got a Lot More Uncertain, According to Its Own Director

Video game adaptations have had a rocky history at the box office, but the ‘Mortal Kombat‘ franchise has managed to buck that trend under director Simon McQuoid. What began as a modest pandemic-era release has grown into one of the more reliable franchises in the genre, building real momentum with each new installment.

That success made a third film feel like an inevitability to many fans, especially after ‘Mortal Kombat II’ delivered strong reviews and became the highest-grossing entry in the live-action series so far. Screenwriter Jeremy Slater had even confirmed he’d started work on a follow-up script back at New York Comic Con, fueling expectations that an official greenlight was just around the corner.

Now, though, McQuoid has offered a far more cautious update on where things actually stand, revealing that ‘Mortal Kombat III’ is still very much up in the air, and that he isn’t even certain he’ll be the one to direct it if it does move forward.

Speaking with TheWrap, McQuoid gave a notably noncommittal answer when asked directly about the status of a third film. “I think it’s still going through its life cycle,” McQuoid explained. “So I don’t know yet. I’m not sure.”

That phrase, life cycle, appears to be McQuoid’s consistent way of describing the ongoing evaluation period following ‘Mortal Kombat II’s’ theatrical run. The film’s performance across digital sales, physical media, and streaming platforms all seem to factor into whatever decision Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema ultimately make about greenlighting another sequel.

Perhaps more telling than the uncertainty around the franchise’s future is McQuoid’s own shifting focus. The director confirmed he’s currently developing other projects entirely outside the ‘Mortal Kombat’ universe, including one that’s already in the casting process.

That project, according to McQuoid, is a grounded, real-world character study, a notable departure from the fantastical tournament-based storytelling that’s defined his work on the franchise so far. Still, he was careful not to rule out a potential return, framing his approach as one of keeping options open rather than closing doors. “I never want to close doors,” McQuoid said. “I’m just always trying to open doors.”

The uncertainty comes despite ‘Mortal Kombat II’ building on the foundation McQuoid laid with the 2021 reboot, which introduced original protagonist Cole Young and reintroduced fan-favorite characters like Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Liu Kang to the big screen. The sequel expanded the roster further, notably bringing Karl Urban’s Johnny Cage into the fold as Earthrealm’s fighters squared off against Shao Kahn’s forces from Outworld.

With reviews and box office numbers both trending positive for the sequel, many assumed a third installment was simply a matter of paperwork. McQuoid’s comments suggest the reality is more complicated, with the studio seemingly wanting a fuller picture of the film’s total performance before committing to the next chapter.

For now, ‘Mortal Kombat III’ remains without a script status confirmation, a release date, or a confirmed director attached. While Slater’s early work on a script suggests the studio hasn’t abandoned the idea entirely, McQuoid’s hedging leaves open the very real possibility that someone else could eventually step in to finish the story he started.

Given how quickly video game franchises can either explode in popularity or quietly fade from studio priority lists, the coming months will likely be crucial in determining whether Earthrealm’s fighters get one more cinematic showdown, and whether McQuoid himself will be the one calling the fatalities.

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