TheMortal Kombattrailer has been an internet sensation since it came out, garnering over 116 million online views on its way to become the most-watched R-rated trailer of all time, beating outLoganandDeadpool 2thanks in no small part to Sub-Zero. However, Joe Taslim indicated there still more fans have yet to see.
Ever sinceMortal Kombatstarted turning heads at the arcadesin 1992, Sub-Zero and Scorpion have been the franchise’s most iconic characters, as almost anyone thinks of the Lin Kuei and Shirai Ryu ninjas upon hearing the name of the game. Given that, it’s really no surprise that the trailer heavily features Scorpion trying to exact revenge on Sub-Zero, but that years-old plot quickly had fans wondering if more colorful ninjas could show up in this upcoming movie reboot.
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One person who is pretty self-aware of these rumors is actor Taslim, who plays Sub-Zero in the upcomingMortal Kombatreboot. It’s already been confirmed this frosty Lin Kuei master is Bi-Han, the “evil version” of Sub-Zero that’s eventually turned into Noob Saibot, leading to Taslim joking with Collider reporters, saying that he is in fact “playing Noob Saibot inMortal Kombat,” though only as a reference to his character’s background story.
Considering director Simon McQuoid is set to take some creative liberties in the new reboot, and the very promising possibility that the movie is holding its plot cards close, Taslim is pretty open about his future dual identity, claiming, “it’s a basic Google search, not a secret - he has humanity inside of him, and when he’s Noob Saibot, he’s just totally dark, pitch black.” Whether or not audiences get to see Noob Saibot when the film releases on April 16 is a different deal because he wasn’t actually one ofthe characters featured in theMortal Kombattrailer.
A lot of this speculation will be partially solved when the movie reveals just exactly whoMortal Kombatnewcomer Cole Young is, with early fan theories placing him as either Scorpion’s son, Bi-Han’s brother, and future Sub-Zero Kuai Liang, or maybe just a different version of Johnny Cage. Bi-Han’s villain identity is pretty much given away in the trailer when he executes a fatality on Jax Briggs and the smokey scene that features his Sub-Zero after that is exactly what started all those Noob Saibot rumors in the first place, being one ofmany easter eggs inMortal Kombat’s trailer.
Noob Saibot himself was a bit of a joke character inMortal Kombat 2,as his name is just the surnames ofMortal Kombatcreators Ed Boon and John Tobias spelled backward. So, perhaps Taslim is taking advantage of the character’s real-world original story to teasehis potential appearance in thisMortal Kombator in the future sequels that reportedly already on the cards in case aMortal KombatCinematic Universe starts to form.
Mortal Kombatis planned for release in theaters and on HBO Max starting June 15, 2025.
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