Jean Claude Van Damme Is Finally Playing Johnny Cage In Mortal Kombat

Looking back, Boon could understand why Jean Claude Van Damme potentially passed on the project but is glad that after three decades, another call finally paid off. «I could see how Van Damme could go, ‘No, no, we’re not doing this.’ We tried a number of times, going back and forth with him. This time, we hit the lottery, and we got him.» The result, so far, certainly looks like an enjoyable one. Dropping into his signature splits, hearing JCVD throwing in pre-match taunts and a grunt with every spin-kick should hit fans right in the nostalgia. Also, hearing him trying to negotiate with an opponent — «It’ll be great, I’ll be a kickboxer, you a Street Fighter,» Van Damme says, referencing his time as the live-action Guile in «Street Fighter: The Movie» — is just awesome.

JCVD’s appearance also rounds out a trifecta of classic action heroes that have appeared in the franchise. Prior to Van Damme dropping in, «Mortal Kombat X» gave players the chance to select both Sylvester Stallone’s John Rambo and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Terminator as playable fighters. This time around, though, Van Damme will certainly have some tough competition, with the inclusion of John Cena’s Peacemaker, Omni-Man from «Invincible» voiced by J.K. Simmons, and Antony Starr’s milk-chugging psychopath Homelander from «The Boys.» It was also confirmed that Megan Fox would also be appearing as the classic character Nitara. Fight for your favorite, but our money’s on the dudes in the capes.