Mortal Kombat II heads to digital after modest box office

The sequel to the 2021 film "Mortal Kombat" is moving to digital home viewing platforms following a theatrical run that underperformed financially. "Mortal Kombat II" will be available for digital purchase and rental on platforms including Fandango at Home and Apple TV beginning June 9, approximately one month after its May 8 theatrical debut.

The film, directed by Simon McQuoid from a script by Jeremy Slater, earned a worldwide box office total of $126 million against an $80 million production budget. It opened in second place during its first weekend with $38.5 million but experienced a significant 65 percent drop in ticket sales in its subsequent weekend.

Critical reception for the sequel showed improvement over the first film, with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 64. Reviews noted the film's increased focus on the franchise's signature interdimensional tournament, fight choreography, and fan-favorite characters, moving away from the more grounded approach of its predecessor. The cast includes Karl Urban as Johnny Cage, Adeline Rudolph as Kitana, Martyn Ford as Shao Kahn, and Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden, among others.

Industry observers suggest the early digital release is a...