Exclusive: Scorpion Mortal Kombat Series In Development
HBO Max is working on a Scorpion Mortal Kombat series, featuring the undead ninja as the protagonist of his own solo show. According to our trusted and proven sources, this is one of several different spinoffs of the 2021 feature film adaptation of the long-lived and gory video game franchise. Scorpion has long been a fan-favorite character in the Mortal Kombat series and was given a particularly prominent role in the recent movie, so it makes sense that he would be getting his own spinoff.
One important question is whether we will get the same Scorpion in this HBO Max Mortal Kombat as we saw in the Simon McQuoid film. In that movie, Scorpion was introduced as a human ninja clan leader named Hanzo Hasashi and played by legendary actor, martial artist, and singer Hiroyuki Sanada. The introduction to the movie involved his death, along with most of his family and clan, at the hands of Bi-Han aka Sub-Zero (played by Joe Taslim), setting in motion the events that will transform him into a firebreathing spirit of vengeance.
It is questionable whether the Scorpion Mortal Kombat series will manage to snag Hiroyuki Sanada to reprise his role, considering he is a pretty busy guy. He most recently appeared in the Brad Pitt action film Bullet Train (recently added to Netflix), is set to appear in John Wick: Chapter Four alongside fellow action legend Donnie Yen and well-regarded monster portrayer Bill Sarsgaard, and will soon be part of the cast of the FX remake of the James Clavell period piece limited series Shogun as Lord Toranaga. Sanada will also act as a producer on Shogun.
In short, Hiroyuki Sanada has a whole lot going on to commit to a Scorpion Mortal Kombat series. More likely than not, HBO Max may go a prequel route and cast a younger (also likely less prestigious and well-paid) actor in the role and show the various dark deeds of Hanzo Hasashi that led to him being condemned to hell after his death. The Mortal Kombat franchise has no shortage of backstory for its deep roster of fighters, so it is not like HBO Max does not have anything to work with.
It is also entirely possible that HBO Max might decide to go a different route with the Scorpion Mortal Kombat series and develop an animated series. Animation is a tried and true route for the franchise, given that it currently has no less than four direct-to-DVD animated feature films and a one-season USA Network show. It also probably helps that the expensive special effects necessary for various Otherworld beings and fighting stages are likely a bit cheaper to animate, not to mention easier to figure out the exact level of ultra-violence to show.
Currently, a direct sequel to the 2021 Mortal Kombat film is currently also in development, reportedly to include one of the original game’s most famous fighters, Johnny Cage, in some capacity. Whether this new Scorpion Mortal Kombat series will connect to it in some way will have to wait to be seen.
