Even though Mortal Kombat III has not been confirmed, the potential movie promises to bring back several dead characters. Liu Kang is one such character who is likely to return for the sequel, as per writer Jeremy Slater. His death was one of the most shocking moments in the highly anticipated Mortal Kombat II, which was released in theaters this May. 

However, as many fans know, death is not always permanent in this universe. Many characters, including Liu Kang, have a strong chance of returning, as per Slater, who reportedly almost completed the script of Mortal Kombat III, as explained in a recent interview.

Jeremy Slater, who also wrote Mortal Kombat II, explained that by having Kitana defeat Shao Kahn, the team wanted to create a shocking ending for another powerful character, Liu Kang. While they decided to kill the character off, the team also had the plan to bring Liu Kang back in Mortal Kombat III. But after witnessing the fandom’s love for Liu Kang, played by Ludi Lin, the team took a rather intriguing approach.

“We did wind up altering his death a little bit to make it more of a choice. So we’re not sure if he actually died or did he ascend to some other plane? What actually happened to hit to him in that moment is absolutely a mystery that’s going to be explored in “Mortal Kombat III,” Slater told Variety.

Those who have watched Mortal Kombat II are aware that during a battle against Shao Kahn, Liu Kang willingly spirits himself away, creating a mystery that could be explored further in a potential sequel. Writer Jeremy Slater had previously brought back an intriguing character, Kano, after he died in the first movie. So, it will be interesting to see how the next potential film explores Liu Kang’s death and possible return. 

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Speaking of Liu Kang’s death, the writer also touched upon yet another shocking moment in the movie, which is Cole Young's death, and explained its purpose.

As writer Jeremy Slater explained, every character's death and return had a purpose, and the same applied to Cole Young. Slater, who initially suggested the idea during a roundtable discussion, described it as only a simple idea at the time since he had not yet taken charge of writing the script. However, in an interview with Variety, he explained that there was a clear purpose behind killing Cole, who was the protagonist of the 2021 film Mortal Kombat. 

“The reality is that his inclusion was something that was sort of studio-mandated on the first movie. They wanted that POV character. But for the fans, they look at Cole Young and they’re like, ‘This guy doesn’t belong,’” he said. 

However, just as the rules around death in this universe say, characters can return. Although Cole Young may have a low chance of returning, Lewis Tan, who played the character, could still come back, perhaps for a flashback. Clearly, Mortal Kombat III has an intriguing storyline to explore, but fans may have to wait for the movie to officially receive the green light.

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