Mortal Kombat II’s warrior princess did more than challenge herself for the role.
Mortal Kombat II is a sequel to 2021’s Mortal Kombat. It follows Earthrealm’s best fighters as they enter a deadly tournament. They are joined by former Hollywood action star Johnny Cage (Karl Urban) and must battle powerful warriors from other realms before Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford) can take control of Earthrealm and its people.
Adeline Rudolph, the actor behind Kitana, in the new sequel Mortal Kombat II, opened up to Vogue Singapore about the demanding preparation that went into bringing the beloved character to the big screen. With the new film expanding the roster of iconic fighters from one of the most popular video game series, Rudolph had to face the pressures that come with portraying a major character from a franchise with such a loyal following that includes three decades of material and several generations of passionate fans.
Similar to many characters in the movie, Kitana has a very detailed backstory that has been developed across multiple games. For Rudolph, portraying the princess meant immersing herself in years of established lore while finding a way to adapt those qualities for Mortal Kombat II. She described the experience as very exciting but difficult at the same time. She added that this was the first time she had taken on a role with such a well-established origin.
Rudolph explained that the amount of physical activity involved was probably one of the more difficult aspects of preparing for filming. The actor said that she didn’t have a martial arts background, meaning she had to undergo extensive training before production. She worked closely with Mortal Kombat II’s stunt coordinator, Malay Kim. She also said that she did everything in her power, such as practicing tai chi, wushu, and kung fu, to nail the more action-heavy scenes in the sequel.
Aside from physical training, Rudolph also spent a lot of time studying Kitana’s history throughout the Mortal Kombat franchise. She researched gameplay, character biographies, and storylines involving her character. She specifically focused on Kitana’s family, upbringing, and complicated relationship with Kahn, her adoptive father.
The first Mortal Kombat game was released in 1992 by Midway Games. While it was initially just an arcade game, its popularity allowed the property to become one of the highest-grossing fighting video game franchises of all time. The series is set in a fictional universe that includes several realms that are ruled by the Elder Gods.
The game’s realms consist of Earthrealm, where Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, and Jax live. Netherrealm features demons and darker fighters such as Quan Chi and Noob Saibot. Outworld, which is ruled by Emperor Kahn. Orderrealm, also known as Seido, where Darrius, Dairou, and Hotaru reside. Kitana, Sindel, Jade, and Rain can be found in Edenia. And, lastly, Chaosrealm, which hosts Havik.
Mortal Kombat II is currently playing in theaters now.
- Release Date
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May 8, 2026
- Runtime
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116 Minutes
- Director
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Simon McQuoid
- Writers
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Jeremy Slater
- Producers
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E. Bennett Walsh, James Wan, Simon McQuoid, Toby Emmerich, Todd Garner