Mortal Kombat 1 is ready to show us all how Van Damme is going to look so we can bring Mortal Kombat full circle further
It only took the team at NetherRealm Studios thirty years to get here, but here we are with Mortal Kombat 1 and Jean-Claude Van Damme actually being in the game. Not as a full fighter, sadly, but as a full skin for Johnny Cage in the game. This is nothing new for the announcement as it was let loose a while ago, but now we have some solid gameplay to see and hear how the actor will be in Mortal Kombat 1. Yes, this was always planned as more than just a cosmetic skin but to also have Jean-Claude offer up the voice work for it all too. Here we go with a sample before he kicks in some skulls on September 19th on the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and PC.
For those that may not be in the know, or have missed every interview Ed Boon has ever done for Mortal Kombat, the origin of the IP came from wanting to make a video game based around the actor and Bloodsport. This includes the original version of Johnny Cage from the very first title out there. Timing, licensing, and many other factors have made it next to impossible to get Van Damme into the game for various means, but in Mortal Kombat 1 they finally landed a deal. Due to that, they went all-in. Unlike what we have seen with other guest characters and the like in the past. It feels fitting for the 30th anniversary that we would get this, but just think of a world where we just had Van Damme the game instead of the MK worlds we have had…
Mortal Kombat 1 — Jean-Claude Van Damme
After 30 years, the man, the myth, the legend finally arrives in Kombat. Jean-Claude Van Damme becomes Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 1.
It’s In Our Blood. Discover a reborn Mortal Kombat Universe created by Fire God Liu Kang. Mortal Kombat 1 ushers in a new era of the iconic franchise with a new fighting system, game modes, and Fatalities!
I do have to say, now that we can see it live, the team has nailed the look of the character in Mortal Kombat 1 perfectly. At least based on the look of the actor from the 80s when they wanted to bring him in. It is a little odd seeing him act in the modern-day Johnny Cage way, but this is just an add-on for that character, so we need to allow for some liberties to be had. It also does allow for us to see a whole different side of the actor than we have been used to over the decades too. I do not remember a single role or incident that would place him on par with his Mortal Kombat counterpart, so give us all the flamboyant movement and douchebagery that Cage has been known for. I hope the actor is ready to be asked to reproduce this in the real world after the game lands out there.
Did you know all of this for Mortal Kombat or did you need the history lesson to understand why this is a thing? Would it have been weird to not have this IP out there and just have a Van Damme the video game instead? Would you have rather seen the actor as a full character instead with Van Damme offering up the motion work and current-day look of things instead? Head into the comment section to discuss all of this and everything else that you may have on your mind out there. We will share all that we can for Mortal Kombat 1 as we head further into the launch period. There has to be a whole lot more on the way, so make sure to stick close to the site to see and hear all of that in due time.