Karl Urban is returning for yet another intense action film, Mortal Kombat II. And he is set to play the role of the character Johnny Cage from the iconic franchise. The character previously appeared in the 1995 film Mortal Kombat and its 1997 sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. While Johnny Cage later returned in the animated feature Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match, Mortal Kombat II is the character’s first live-action appearance in nearly two decades. 

For this major comeback in 2026, Urban has already been seen paying tribute to an earlier film.

Karl Urban recently sat down with IGN to promote his upcoming film, Mortal Kombat II, when he noticed the host’s sunglasses. As the host explained that they belonged to his grandfather, Urban took them in his hands, snapped them in two, and quickly apologized. Considering Urban’s reaction, it was clear the entire moment was a playful joke.  The act also seemed to be a tribute to the 1995 film Mortal Kombat, in which Goro crushes Johnny Cage’s sunglasses before their fight.  

 Later in the battle, Cage, played by Linden Ashby, says the iconic line, “Those were $500 sunglasses, a******!” So, this hilarious joke quite clearly was connected to the previous film's memorable scene.

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While Karl Urban played the prank to double down on the hype around the film, he was initially terrified about the role in the movie.

Karl Urban is no stranger to heavy action, with projects like The Boys and The Bluff under his belt. However, he was looking for something more challenging in his career, and that is when he was offered the role of Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat II. As appealing as the part was, Urban quickly realized that the action required for the film was far more demanding and different from anything he had done before.

“I asked for a heavy-action content movie, and for my sins, they gave me one,” Urban said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly.

During a recent virtual press conference for Mortal Kombat II, Karl Urban shared that he had to dive quickly into intense action scenes while working alongside highly accomplished martial artists. He also described the role as the most physically demanding of his career and spoke about his commitment to getting every scene right. If his action-packed prank and candid comments on his hard work are any indication, there is plenty to look forward to in the film.

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What do you think about Karl Urban's tribute prank to Johnny cage? Let us know in the comments.