Mortal Kombat: Legacy
| Industry | Entertainment, Web series |
|---|---|
| Founded | April 11, 2011 |
| Founder | Kevin Tancharoen |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Web series |
| Parent | Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Warner Premiere |
Mortal Kombat: Legacy is a U.S.-based web series inspired by the Mortal Kombat video game franchise. It debuted on Machinima.com's YouTube channel on April 11, 2011, with its second season fully released on September 26, 2013.
The series was born from director Kevin Tancharoen's short film Mortal Kombat: Rebirth (2010), which reinterpreted the original game's narrative with a more realistic approach. Tancharoen created this concept to gain studio endorsement for a new Mortal Kombat movie, pitching it to Warner Bros. Pictures, Midway Games (which Warner acquired in 2009), and New Line Cinema. Despite favorable fan reactions, the film proposal was declined; however, Warner approved the production of the web series instead.
Plot
The initial season of Mortal Kombat: Legacy acts as a prelude to the original game, exploring the histories and motivations of principal characters as they prepare for the tenth Mortal Kombat tournament. The episodes are presented in a nonlinear fashion, each centering on a single character. The second season portrays events during the tournament itself.
Cast
| Character | Description | Season 1 actor | Season 2 actor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baraka | Commander of Outworld's Tarkatan warriors under Shao Kahn's command. | Fraser Aitcheson | — |
| Cyrax | Lin Kuei ninja assassin undergoing cybernetic transformation. | Shane Warren Jones | — |
| Ermac | Combatant formed from multiple souls wielding psychokinetic abilities. | — | Kim Do Nguyen |
| Jackson "Jax" Briggs | Captain of Deacon City Police and partner to Sonya Blade. | Michael Jai White | — |
| Johnny Cage | Actor facing career setbacks who joins Earth's defenders in Season 2. | Matt Mullins | Casper Van Dien |
| Kano | Leader of the Black Dragon criminal organization. | Darren Shahlavi | — |
| Kenshi | Blind swordsman gifted with telekinetic powers. | — | Daniel Southworth |
| Kitana | Former Edenian princess trained as an assassin by Shao Kahn. | Samantha Jo | |
| Kurtis Stryker | Lieutenant in Deacon City Police who fights alongside Earth's defenders in Season 2. | Tahmoh Penikett | Eric Jacobus |
(Note: Some entries have been omitted here to focus on principal cast members relevant to business context.)
Conception
On June 8, 2010, the short film Mortal Kombat: Rebirth was uploaded to YouTube, sparking uncertainty about its background. Kevin Tancharoen had long envisioned a reboot of the Mortal Kombat franchise and utilized emerging technology to create a brief film. Over a single weekend, he wrote and directed the piece with a modest budget of $7,500, completing the project within two months alongside friends, without any studio backing. Originally intended as a private upload to gather feedback, it was mistakenly made public and quickly garnered highly positive reactions.
Recognizing the influence of social media in cultivating an audience, Tancharoen engaged with executives at Warner Bros.. Although they declined to approve a full-length feature film, they agreed to finance a web series inspired by the franchise. The final step involved obtaining endorsement from Ed Boon, co-creator of the series and executive producer at NetherRealm Studios. Despite initial reservations about Tancharoen’s re-envisioned concept, Boon was impressed by the short’s production values and Tancharoen’s dedication, ultimately supporting the project.
Season 1 development
Mortal Kombat: Legacy is a collaborative production between Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, and Warner Premiere. The producing team includes Kevin Tancharoen, Lance Sloane, and Tim Carter. Comprising nine episodes ranging from 8 to 12 minutes each, the series was scripted by Tancharoen in partnership with Todd and Aaron Helbing, writers known for Spartacus: Blood and Sand, with Tancharoen directing. Larnell Stovall served as stunt coordinator, having previously worked with Tancharoen on Rebirth. Filming occurred in Vancouver during February and March, followed by post-production from March through to release. Visual effects were handled by Goldtooth Creative Agency.
Tancharoen’s 2010 short Mortal Kombat: Rebirth reinterpreted the franchise’s usual supernatural storyline into a more grounded, realistic environment while preserving key characters and the tournament premise but omitting mystical components such as alternate dimensions and magic. This innovative approach attracted attention from Ed Boon, who remarked that it "probably crosses the line" regarding reinterpretation. Warner Bros. endorsed this fresh direction while ensuring the series retained essential elements of the franchise’s supernatural identity. Budget limitations led many narratives to be set in realistic contexts to avoid expensive fantasy effects. Boon played an instrumental role in safeguarding canon fidelity while granting Tancharoen artistic latitude.
The initial three episodes largely maintain the grounded tone introduced in Rebirth, with Episode 3 marking the introduction of supernatural aspects when Shang Tsung suspends time to converse with Johnny Cage. Episodes 4 and 5 delve deeper into mystical themes by depicting Baraka in alignment with his original video game lore and exploring magic alongside multiple realms. Some viewers criticized the departure from the earlier realistic style; however, Tancharoen stressed that incorporating supernatural elements was necessary for certain stories to remain true to their source material. Ahead of Episode 6’s launch, Tancharoen communicated to fans that it represented "a perfect amount of gritty realism mixed with a hint of mysticism," embodying his balanced vision for the series.
Season 2 development
On July 15, 2012, director Kevin Tancharoen announced via an exclusive video on IGN that the scripts for Season 2 had been finalized. Tancharoen confirmed that the new season would feature improved fight choreography and enhanced special effects, with a stronger emphasis on the original Mortal Kombat tournament storyline to better satisfy fan expectations. Production kicked off in Los Angeles on December 3, 2012, and the first footage was unveiled in a trailer during the Streamy Awards on February 17, 2013. This trailer amassed over two million views within its first day online. Tancharoen also assured fans that work on Season 2 would not interfere with his plans for a feature film adaptation. On March 31, 2013, a television commercial aired during AMC's Talking Dead, marking a milestone as the first time a YouTube channel purchased airtime for a traditional TV advertisement.
Season 2 consists of ten episodes co-written by Tancharoen alongside Josh Baizer and Marshall Johnson. Tancharoen directed the season with a production team numbering between 90 and 100 members. Distribution remained exclusive to Machinima's YouTube channel under Warner Bros. Digital Distribution. Visual effects responsibilities shifted from Goldtooth Creative to Bandito Brothers for this season. Production concluded in December 2012.
Season 3 development
During Comic-Con 2013, Tancharoen disclosed that Ryan would not reprise her role as Sonya in Season 2 due to her commitment to Body of Proof, but expressed intentions to bring her back for Season 3. The character Kabal was also slated for inclusion in Season 3 after budget limitations prevented his appearance in Season 2. Tancharoen stepped away from the series in October 2013 amid delays related to the reboot film; however, by March 2014, he confirmed an agreement with Warner Bros. to direct Season 3.
In January 2015, martial arts instructor and stunt coordinator Garrett Warren announced his involvement in Season 3, though specific details about his role were not revealed. Casper Van Dien confirmed his participation by sharing images of martial arts training sessions with co-star Mark Dacascos. Van Dien later posted a photo showing his script for "Mortal Kombat 3," authored by John Cabrera. Filming commenced on January 19, 2015.
Originally planned for release in 2016, the webseries did not debut as scheduled, and no subsequent updates regarding Season 3 have been provided.
Season 1 casting
The main cast from Mortal Kombat: Rebirth returned for Season 1, including Michael Jai White, Jeri Ryan, Matt Mullins, and Ian Anthony Dale reprising their roles as Jax, Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, and Scorpion respectively. Johnson Phan and Fraser Aitcheson took over from James Lew and Lateef Crowder as Shang Tsung and Baraka. The role of Kano was played by Darren Shahlavi, while Tahmoh Penikett portrayed Kurtis Stryker and Sam Tjhia appeared as Kitana. Episode four introduced Aleks Paunovic as Shao Kahn, Jolene Tran as Mileena, Kirby Morrow as King Jerrod, and Beatrice Ilg as Sindel. The first official trailer revealed Sub-Zero (Kevan Ohtsji), Sektor (Peter Shinkoda), and Cyrax (Shane Warren Jones). Additionally, Ryan Robbins appeared as Raiden, and Michael Rogers was credited as Quan Chi in episode seven. Ed Boon made a cameo appearance in episode three portraying Ed Goodman, a television producer connected to Johnny Cage.
Casting for Season 2
Season 2 introduced notable alterations to its cast lineup. Casper Van Dien assumed the role of Johnny Cage, taking over from Matt Mullins, while Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, known for portraying Shang Tsung in the 1995 film adaptation, replaced Johnson Phan. The character Stryker saw Eric Jacobus step in for Tahmoh Penikett; Michelle Lee took on the role of Mileena instead of Jolene Tran; and David Lee McInnis succeeded Ryan Robbins as Raiden. The only actors returning to their previous roles were Ian Anthony Dale and Samantha Tjhia, reprising their portrayals of Scorpion and Kitana, respectively.
New additions to the cast included Harry Shum, Jr. as Kuai Liang (Sub-Zero’s younger sibling), Brian Tee portraying Liu Kang, Mark Dacascos as Kung Lao, Kim Do Nguyen as Ermac, and Daniel Southworth in the role of Kenshi. Notably, Jeri Ryan (Sonya), Michael Jai White (Jax), and Darren Shahlavi (Kano) did not return for this season.
Promotion
On April 7, 2011, a preview clip was unveiled on Machinima’s YouTube channel serving as a teaser for the series titled Mortal Kombat: Legacy. The official trailer premiered on April 11, 2011, showcasing footage from all nine episodes and confirming the inclusion of characters such as Sub-Zero, Sektor, and Cyrax. It also highlighted that the narrative would delve into character backstories leading up to the original Mortal Kombat competition.
Director Tancharoen announced that the first episode would be available before the launch of the newest video game installment. The initial full episode was released on April 11, 2011, via Machinima.com and YouTube platforms. Episode 2 premiered one day prior to the game’s release date but was temporarily swapped with an edited version that toned down graphic violence. Similarly, Episode 3 opened with censored material muting explicit language; however, by April 29 both episodes were restored to their uncensored forms. Episode 4 debuted without censorship. Tancharoen clarified that YouTube’s content restrictions necessitated these edits due to multiple flags for inappropriate material. A compromise allowed censored versions to be posted first with uncensored editions following behind age verification measures.
In June 2011, it was revealed that the final episode would premiere at the 2011 Comic-Con event (July 21–24) rather than following the usual Tuesday midnight release schedule. In July, Shock Till You Drop shared a sneak peek image teasing the finale featuring Cyrax and Sektor and noted its preparation for debut at the Comic-Con panel on July 21. The concluding episode officially became available on Machinima.com’s YouTube channel on July 24. Subsequently, the Season 2 cast and production team participated in a panel discussion at the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con, coinciding with all Season 2 episodes being released simultaneously on September 26, 2013.
Physical media
Tancharoen revealed intentions for an uncensored release on DVD and Blu-ray. On August 10, 2011, Warner Premiere announced a Blu-ray release scheduled for November 8; however, no DVD release date was provided at that time. Special features included Mortal Kombat: Legacy – Fights, which examined fatalities and violent storytelling; Mortal Kombat: Legacy – Fan Made, featuring Tancharoen discussing his passion for the franchise; along with documentaries exploring the universe of Mortal Kombat, character abilities, and weaponry. Season 2 saw a home media release on October 14, 2014.
In April 2021, the series became accessible for streaming on HBO Max.
Critical response
Mortal Kombat: Legacy was met with predominantly favorable critiques. The premiere episode became the most watched video on YouTube that week, amassing 5.5 million views, surpassing Tancharoen's earlier short film which attracted 2.1 million views. Thomas Gewecke, President of Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, commended the debut episode as a compelling reinterpretation with promising potential for future adaptations. Although viewership declined in later episodes, episode five still achieved 424,000 views within its first day; overall, the series quickly exceeded 30 million total views.
IGN described Legacy as the "most elegantly produced web series," praising the initial episode’s dynamic fight choreography and visual presentation. The fourth episode received recognition for its creative animation techniques, lyrical narration, absence of censorship, and enriched character backstories. Episode five was applauded for its musical score, character arcs, editing quality, and special effects. CraveOnline highlighted the distinctive animation in episode four and significant plot developments such as Mileena’s origins and the Tarkatan incursion. G4TV appreciated episode three’s blend of action and character growth, particularly noting an enhanced portrayal of Johnny Cage. Houston Press emphasized Raiden’s installment for its compelling drama and layered characterization. The Escapist ranked episode seven among the best in the series, emphasizing its emotional depth centered on Scorpion and Sub-Zero.
Critiques largely targeted casting choices and shifts in style. CraveOnline expressed dissatisfaction with the new Johnny Cage portrayal, citing a lack of fitting appearance and martial arts proficiency. IGN found production aspects in episode one less refined compared to Rebirth, criticizing weaker storytelling and performances. Episodes four and five attracted the most criticism for departing from the initially realistic tone toward traditional franchise mythology—a transition Tancharoen clarified was necessary to comply with Warner Bros.’ directive to align with established canon. IGN also faulted episode five’s animation for diminishing vitality and causing continuity lapses, alongside budget-related limitations affecting makeup, costumes, sets, and brief duration. Houston Press suggested that episodes four and five functioned as studio-led experiments gauging audience reactions before allowing Tancharoen to return to his preferred approach in episode six, which it deemed "cinematic greatness" surpassing even Rebirth. Film School Rejects observed that the series depended heavily on viewers’ prior familiarity with the franchise, potentially leaving newcomers with unresolved questions.
External links
- Mortal Kombat: Legacy season 1 on Machinima.com's YouTube channel
- Mortal Kombat: Legacy season 2 on Machinima.com's YouTube channel
- Mortal Kombat: Legacy at the Mortal Kombat wiki