Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge

Warner Bros. Animation

Logo used by Warner Bros. Animation
Company type	Subsidiary
Industry	Animation, Film production
Founded	1980 (1980)
Founder	Warner Bros.
Headquarters	Burbank, California , United States
Products	Animated films and television series
Parent	Warner Bros. Entertainment

Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge is a 2020 American direct-to-video animated martial arts feature aimed at adult audiences, derived from the Mortal Kombat franchise originally developed by Ed Boon and John Tobias. The animation was crafted by the South Korean company Studio Mir, with production handled by Warner Bros. Animation. This film serves as the inaugural entry in the Legends series. Its storyline draws from the original Mortal Kombat, centering on two main arcs: Scorpion’s pursuit of vengeance following his resurrection by Quan Chi, and the selection of Johnny Cage, Liu Kang, and Sonya Blade as contenders in the Mortal Kombat tournament to protect Earthrealm.

This project represents Warner Bros. Animation's debut with the Mortal Kombat franchise after Warner Bros. acquired the rights from Midway Games in 2009. It is also the first animated adaptation since the 1996 television series Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm. Co-creator Ed Boon contributed as a creative consultant. Notably, this is the first Mortal Kombat film to be rated R by the MPA.

The film became available through digital platforms on April 14, 2020, followed by physical releases on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, and DVD on April 28. It received favorable critical reception and was followed by a sequel titled Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms, which premiered on August 31, 2021.

Plot

In Japan, Hanzo Hasashi, grandmaster of the Shirai Ryu clan, and his son Satoshi are ambushed by assassins from their rivals, the Lin Kuei. After discovering that the Lin Kuei have massacred his entire clan—including his wife Harumi—Hasashi eliminates the attackers. The Lin Kuei’s Grandmaster, Sub-Zero, then encases Hasashi in ice, kills Satoshi by snapping his neck, and impales Hasashi with an icicle.

Meanwhile, the thunder god Raiden teams up with Shaolin monk Liu Kang to enter the Mortal Kombat tournament organized by warlock Shang Tsung, where the victor will face off against Goro to determine Earthrealm's fate. They are joined by actor Johnny Cage and Special Forces operative Sonya Blade, each driven by personal reasons: Sonya is tracking crime boss Kano, while Cage believes he is participating in a movie production.

In the Netherrealm, Hasashi awakens and dispatches demons including the Demon Torturer before encountering sorcerer Quan Chi, who persuades him to compete in Mortal Kombat for vengeance against Sub-Zero. Hasashi adopts the identity of Scorpion.

On Shang Tsung's island arena, Scorpion attempts to steal an amulet belonging to Shinnok, but Raiden convinces him otherwise. During battles, Cage, Sonya, and Liu Kang witness Sonya's partner Jackson "Jax" Briggs lose his arms to Goro before Raiden intervenes. Cage narrowly defeats a Tarkatan opponent and realizes the tournament’s authenticity. Sonya eliminates Reptile, while Liu Kang overcomes Kitana. Kano’s assassins infiltrate but are slain by Scorpion. In a confrontation with Kano, Sub-Zero assists against these assassins but is attacked by Scorpion; both fall into a spike pit where Sub-Zero dies. Cage and Sonya pursue Kano to rescue Jax as Liu Kang faces Goro.

Quan Chi reveals he orchestrated the Shirai Ryu massacre while disguised as Sub-Zero; the true Sub-Zero was not involved. Enraged, Scorpion resurrects to exact revenge. At the tournament’s climax, Shang Tsung captures Quan Chi after anticipating his treachery. Liu Kang nearly succumbs to Goro but is saved when Scorpion kills Goro using his kunai. Cage, Sonya, and Jax eliminate Kano. Shang Tsung commands Scorpion to fight Liu Kang; instead, Scorpion attacks Shang Tsung directly, forcing him to concede and granting Liu Kang victory. Tsung warns of an imminent retaliation from Shao Kahn as he retreats to Outworld. The island collapses; Earthrealm’s defenders evacuate via boat. Before departing, Scorpion kills Quan Chi and reunites with his family in the afterlife. Raiden informs Liu Kang that his ultimate mission is to defeat Shao Kahn.

Following these events, Shao Kahn punishes Shang Tsung for his failure and orders preparations for Earthrealm’s invasion.

Voice cast

• Patrick Seitz voices Hanzo Hasashi / Scorpion
• Jordan Rodrigues portrays Liu Kang
• Dave B. Mitchell provides the voice for Raiden and a Lin Kuei Warrior
• Joel McHale as Johnny Cage
• Jennifer Carpenter as Sonya Blade
• Ike Amadi lends his voice to Jax Briggs
• Robin Atkin Downes voices both Kano and Shinnok
• Grey Griffin performs as Kitana and Satoshi Hasashi
• Steve Blum portrays Bi-Han / Sub-Zero
• Artt Butler voices Shang Tsung and a Lin Kuei Assassin
• Darin De Paul as Quan Chi
• Kevin Michael Richardson returns as the voice of Goro and a Bystander
• Fred Tatasciore provides voices for Demon Torturer and Shao Kahn

Development

The concept of an animated Mortal Kombat movie first emerged in January 2019, intended as a companion to the live-action reboot Mortal Kombat. It was officially revealed a year later under the title Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge. Upon its debut, Warner Bros. Animation introduced a unique logo variant featuring Scorpion strangling the Looney Tunes character Daffy Duck, replacing the usual Porky Pig. Initially, the plan was for Daffy to be impaled by Scorpion’s Kunai, but this was altered to meet age-appropriate standards. The sequel, Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms, followed this pattern by showing Shaggy Rogers from Scooby-Doo strangling Scorpion in its logo.

Casting

Patrick Seitz reprised his role as Scorpion’s voice after not participating in Mortal Kombat 11. The character Bi-Han was voiced by Steve Blum, who had previously portrayed Kuai Liang’s Sub-Zero in Mortal Kombat X. After missing Mortal Kombat X due to pregnancy, Grey Griffin returned to voice Kitana. Veteran voice actor Kevin Michael Richardson also came back to voice Goro, a role he originally performed in the 1995 live-action feature film.

Rating

According to a confirmation from Ed Boon on Twitter, this film became the first in the Mortal Kombat franchise to receive an "R" rating.

Marketing

The initial trailer was released online on January 28, 2020. This was followed by a red-band trailer on March 8, 2020, which premiered during the "Final Kombat" tournament alongside the introduction of Mortal Kombat 11’s guest character, Spawn.

Home media

The movie earned $508,501 through domestic DVD sales and $2,126,194 from Blu-ray sales, culminating in a total home video revenue of $2,634,695.

Reception

Scorpion's Revenge holds a positive approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on multiple reviews with an average score reflecting favorable responses.

Critics generally responded well. Andrew Pollard from Starburst applauded its intense violence, polished animation style, and compelling storyline, describing it as the Mortal Kombat film fans had been anticipating. Alessandro Fillari of GameSpot called it an enjoyable experience that stays true to the series’ roots, particularly excelling when centered on Scorpion’s character, although he noted that the plot felt crowded with numerous characters. Sam Stone at Comic Book Resources described it as "a bloody good time" with well-developed character backgrounds. Screen Rant praised it as "an outstanding debut" for Warner Bros. Animation’s take on Mortal Kombat, successfully capturing key fan-favorite aspects with flair. Meanwhile, Bloody Disgusting commended its faithful adaptation of source material combined with entertaining execution.

On the other hand, Bob Chipman from The Escapist felt that while scenes focused on Scorpion were strong, other parts of the film lacked impact. Joshua Yehl of IGN criticized the film’s attempt to juggle both a personal story about Scorpion and the broader tournament narrative, stating it failed to satisfy either element fully.

In July 2021, Russia’s Oktyabrsky District Court in Saint Petersburg prohibited the film's distribution over concerns that it might encourage aggressive or self-harm behaviors.