Lewis Tan’s Grueling First Days on ‘Mortal Kombat’ Nearly Finished Him

Mortal Kombat, despite being one of Warner Bros.’ movies released simultaneously in theaters and on streaming in 2021, managed to become a low-key box office hit. Fans of the video game series responded positively, and the film was successful enough to secure a sequel. Achieving this level of acceptance from a franchise’s dedicated fanbase is no small feat, and Mortal Kombat did so while largely avoiding reliance on CGI, instead opting for authentic stunts to draw viewers into its world.

Lead actor Lewis Tan had a rigorous shooting experience, particularly during an intense action scene. During the San Diego Comic-Con, he detailed to Collider’s Therese Lacson how demanding the sequence was. Paired with a genuine martial artist, Tan filmed the scene over three grueling days under challenging conditions that tested his limits. In Mortal Kombat, Tan played MMA fighter Cole Young, who is thrust into the game’s mythical universe to protect his family and discover his magical heritage. Reflecting on his first day, Tan shared the intense realization he had upon completing the fight sequence.

“The very first scene I shot for Mortal Kombat was the MMA fight’s opening. I was paired with actor and martial artist Ian Streetz, a 13-time Lethwei champion. Lethwei is like Muay Thai but with headbutts and no gloves, so it’s bare-knuckled. Fighting him on the first day, with a huge crowd watching and immense pressure, was intense. We fought for three consecutive days. The set’s design made the arena look rough, but the floor felt like sandpaper. By the end, both Ian and I had lost skin on our toes, feet, elbows – everywhere. After those three days, I knew exactly what I was in for,” recalled Tan.

Directed by Simon McQuoid, Mortal Kombat was made on a modest budget compared to modern franchise standards, managing to gross nearly $85 million globally on a $55 million budget. The film featured renowned Japanese actors Tadanobu Asano and Hiroyuki Sanada, both of whom have since gained further recognition from their roles in the series Shogun. Asano, Sanada, and Tan are all set to return for Mortal Kombat 2, slated for an October 2025 release.

Stay tuned for more updates on Mortal Kombat 2 as the release date approaches.

Source: Collider