‘Mortal Kombat’ Release Date Pushed Back

Rebecca Rubin
·2 min read
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“Mortal Kombat,” an adaptation of the popular video game, has been delayed a week.

The Warner Bros. fantasy-action film was originally scheduled for April 16 and is instead coming out on April 23. It will premiere both in movie theaters and on HBO Max.

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The postponement comes the day before Warner Bros. plans to release another tentpole, “Godzilla vs. Kong.” Film exhibitors have been optimistic about the arrival of the big-budget clash of the titans, which has already done notable business overseas. “Godzilla vs. Kong” has made $121 million at the international box office to date. It’s done especially well in China, generating $70 million on opening weekend. By pushing “Mortal Kombat,” the studio hopes to space out the potential blockbusters in an effort to avoid cannibalizing ticket sales.

Warner Bros. also anticipates that capacity restrictions across the country could be relaxed in the coming weeks. Earlier on Tuesday, Los Angeles county — one of the most popular movie markets in the U.S. — moved into the state’s orange tier, which allows movie theaters to increase indoor capacity to 50% or 200 people. The change is expected to go into effect on Wednesday. It’s an encouraging step in Hollywood’s efforts to revive the movie business, which has been decimated by the coronavirus pandemic.

Directed by Simon McQuoid, the story follows a washed-up MMA fighter who is unaware of his hidden lineage and why he’s being hunted down by a clan of assassins. Concerned for the safety of his family, he seeks out a team of fighters who were chosen to defend Earthrealm in a high-stakes battle against the forces of Outworld. James Wan, whose credits include “Aquaman,” “The Conjuring” and “Saw,” was a producer on the film.

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