James Wan-Produced Mortal Kombat Film Finally Finds Its Director

For years, horror master James Wan has spoken of wanting to develop a Mortal Kombat film. It seemed that for some time the project was lost in development hell. Well, now it’s rising from the ashes as a director has finally been hired, alongside details about the film’s shooting location. Pre-production will kick off this month with Simon McQuoid making his feature film directorial debut. The filmmaker is most notably known for directing award-winning commercials. In fact, PlayStation fans may recognize his work in the “Michael” commercial.

Variety reported the news, which received confirmation from the Premier of South Australia, Steven Marshall, and South Australia’s Minister for Innovation and Skills, David Pisoni. James Wan will produce the film for New Line Cinema, alongside industry veterans such as Larry Kasanoff (1995’s Mortal Kombat) and E. Bennett Walsh (Kill Bill: Volume 2).

Check out Steven Marshall’s announcement of the news in his tweet below, which also noted that Mortal Kombat will serve as the “largest film production in South Australia’s history.”

Mortal Kombat will especially be a boon for South Australia. Its production is set to create an estimated 580 jobs, thanks to the use of Australian crews and Adelaide Studios’ Sound Stages’ involvement. In addition, the economy is projected to receive a boost that amounts to approximately $49 million. With regards to this specifically, Marshall said, “The state government’s investment in Mortal Kombat will enhance the scope and reach of our production and post production capabilities, bringing the promise of fantastic new jobs for the local film industry.”

The present draft of the Mortal Kombat film’s screenplay was penned by Greg Russo. It’s currently unclear as to whether Russo’s script will serve as the project’s definitive reference. What also remains under wraps is news concerning the film’s cast, story, and characters. Will it take cues from the game franchise’s recent reboot series? Or will something wholly original be crafted within Mortal Kombat’s vast universe? With pre-production set to begin in the coming weeks, these answers may surface sooner rather than later.

Presently, the Mortal Kombat film lacks a release date.

[Source: Variety]