Fans of the Mortal Kombat franchise have reason to celebrate as the first-ever appearance of Jean-Claude Van Damme in Mortal Kombat 1 has been unveiled. This exciting development marks the Belgium actor’s debut in the long-running fighting game series.
Mortal Kombat 1 is one of the highly anticipated games of the year, with the potential to compete with the finest titles in the fighting game genre. After more than three decades, Jean-Claude Van Damme has become a part of the Mortal Kombat universe, as he will be featured as a skin for the character Johnny Cage. This revelation came to light during a Hot Ones interview with series co-creator Ed Boon.
The Jean-Claude Van Damme skin for Johnny Cage will be available at launch and here's your first look: pic.twitter.com/nPERvWWpG4
— IGN (@IGN) September 8, 2023
Although the footage is brief, it offers a glimpse of the martial artist’s likeness in the game, drawing inspiration from his iconic role as Frank Dux in the 1988 film “Bloodsport.” While it’s confirmed that Van Damme will provide the character’s voice, fans have yet to hear this rendition. Interestingly, the original Mortal Kombat game was born from the remnants of a canceled project starring the actor, demonstrating the positive relationship between Ed Boon, John Tobias, and Jean-Claude Van Damme.
It’s widely known that Johnny Cage’s character was heavily influenced by Van Damme, sharing similarities in physique, attitude, hairstyle, and martial arts prowess. This inclusion marks a full-circle moment, fittingly coinciding with Mortal Kombat 1’s role as a fresh entry point for both new and seasoned fans.
While this venture into Mortal Kombat is Van Damme’s latest interaction with the world of fighting games, he previously portrayed Guile in the live-action adaptation of “Street Fighter” in 1994. His digital character likeness was also integrated into the video game adaptation the following year. Notably, both the early Mortal Kombat games and “Street Fighter” utilized digital representations of live-action actors rather than traditional sprites.
