Source: Warner Bros. Games/ NetherRealm Studios / Mortal Kombat 1 / Jean-Claude Van Damme
It’s a complete full circle moment for legendary action film star gymnast Jean-Claude Van Damme (Bloodsport, Kickboxer) and the Mortal Kombat video game franchise.
It only took 30 years, but Jean-Claude Van Damme is finally where he belongs in Mortal Kombat.
Van Damme’s appearance in the game was already known, but today marks the first time we see him in action in Mortal Kombat 1.
Unlike his fellow Hollywood brethren Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallon, who appeared in Mortal Kombat 11 as DLC characters, Van Damme is a skin for MK OG Johnny Cage, and his likeness and voice are in the game.
This Is A Reunion 30 Years In The Making
Van Damme has a long history with the world of fighting video games. Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon revealed on a recent episode of First We Feast’s popular show Hot Ones that he originally wanted to make a video game starring Van Damme before making Mortal Kombat.
Conversations between Van Damme’s team and Boon’s crew never amounted to anything. Eventually, Van Damme would star in one of the worst video game movie adaptations ever, Street Fighter, and star in the even worst fighting game based on the film.
In the trailer, Van-Damme makes a hilarious Street Fighter reference in a pre-fight scene.
He finally gets to redeem himself with his appearance in Mortal Kombat 1, and it’s pretty fitting because, honestly, we all knew Johnny Cage was based on his character from Bloodsport.
Jean-Claude Van Damme skin for Johnny Cage will be available at launch as part of the first Kombat Pack, alongside early access to six new downloadable content (DLC) playable characters – Quan Chi, Ermac, Takeda Takahashi, Peacemaker, Omni-Man, and Homelander (all available post-launch) – and five new Kameo Fighters (available post-launch).
We hope Ed Boon and the crew even sneak in some of Van Damme’s other looks from his other “classic” films.
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Photo: Warner Bros. Games/ NetherRealm Studios / Mortal Kombat 1