Cross-media recommendations across film, TV, games, books & music — picked by taste.
Mortal Kombat (2021) follows Cole Young, a washed-up MMA fighter unaware of his heritage, who is hunted by Sub-Zero and drawn into training with Earth's greatest champions. The film is a dark fantasy reboot in which Cole must confront his past and stand alongside Earthrealm's defenders against the forces of Outworld. It pulls together brutal combat spectacle, mythological stakes, and the arc of an ordinary man thrust into an extraordinary war.
Mortal Kombat is a 2021 American martial arts dark fantasy film based on the video-game series created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. The film serves as a reboot and is the third installment in the Mortal Kombat film series. Directed by Simon McQuoid from a screenplay by Greg Russo and Dave Callaham, it stars Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Tadanobu Asano, Mehcad Brooks, Ludi Lin, Chin Han, Max Huang, Joe Taslim, and Hiroyuki Sanada. The film follows Cole Young, a washed-up mixed martial arts fighter who discovers he is among a group of fighters chosen to defend Earthrealm against malevolent forces from Outworld in the eponymous Mortal Kombat tournament.
From the Wikipedia article Mortal_Kombat_(2021_film), available under CC BY-SA.
Series
Mortal Kombat: Conquest
After defeating Shang Tsung, Kung Lao must train a new generation of warriors while his exiled rival schemes revenge.
Series
Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm
A group of warriors unites to defend Earthrealm from invaders pouring through portals from other dimensions.
Series
Lord of Vermilion: The Crimson King
A red mist and high-frequency resonance plunge Tokyo into crisis, pitting survivors against unseen supernatural forces.
Series
Fist of the North Star: HOKUTO NO KEN
In a post-nuclear wasteland where only the strong survive, Kenshiro — heir to a deadly martial art — emerges alone.
Series
Black Bullet
Humanity defeated by viral parasites and confined to a small territory pins its hope on young fighter Rentaro.
Series
Sweet Combat
Against her family's objections, Fang Yu pursues boxing and wins the championship title at just eighteen years old.
Game
Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe
Mortal Kombat warriors and DC Universe heroes collide for the first time, with a new Freefall Kombat fighting system.
Game
Mortal Kombat MOBILE
Assemble an elite team of Mortal Kombat fighters in this visceral mobile card-collection fighting game.
Game
Mortal Kombat 1+2+3
An ancient Shaolin tournament corrupted five centuries ago by sorcerer Shang Tsung — and his giant warrior Prince Goro.
Game
Mortal Kombat 1
Fire God Liu Kang creates a reborn Mortal Kombat universe, resetting the entire franchise mythology from the ground up.
Game
Mortal Kombat 11
Deeply customisable fighters clash in an evolved engine showcasing next-generation graphics and cinematic presentation.
Game
Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate
A 25-years-in-the-making story mode sends players through a time-bending saga of past and present MK warriors.
Book
ワンパンマン 12
Book
Berserk, Vol. 17
Betrayed and hunted in a kingdom he once defended, Guts the Black Swordsman fights on alone against overwhelming forces.
Book
Dragon ball super
Universe 6 and 7's invitational tournament continues as Goku faces a fighter with Freeza's exact powers and transformations.
Book
Beyblade, Volume 2 (Beyblade)
Tyson develops a new super shooting style just in time to face his toughest rival at the Beyblade tournament.
Book
Absolute Kingdom Come
Superman, Batman, and the old guard clash with an uncompromising new generation of heroes in a final war for the planet.
Film
Mortal Kombat II
Earth's champions — now joined by Johnny Cage — fight to defeat Shao Kahn's dark rule threatening Earthrealm's existence.
Film
Mortal Kombat
Three warriors must stop an evil sorcerer from winning a tenth tournament victory and dooming the multiverse forever.
Film
Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins
Earthrealm's three chosen defenders travel to Shang Tsung's island to master their powers and destinies before the fight.
Film
Mortal Kombat III
Third installment in the Mortal Kombat film franchise.
Film
Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge
After Sub-Zero slaughters his family, Hanzo Hasashi is exiled to the Netherrealm and bargains for a chance at revenge.
Film
Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms
Lord Raiden calls a final Mortal Kombat tournament — win it or lose Earthrealm to Shao Kahn's barbarians forever.
The direct follow-up Mortal Kombat II (2026) picks up with Johnny Cage joining the champions against Shao Kahn. If you want to go back to the beginning, the animated Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge is a slick origin story for the Sub-Zero rivalry.
Mortal Kombat 11 and Mortal Kombat 1 (2023) are the most story-rich modern entries, featuring the same Earthrealm-vs-Outworld mythology with full cinematic story modes that feel like interactive versions of the film.
Berserk, Vol. 17 follows a betrayed warrior fighting impossible odds in a dark-fantasy world, and Absolute Kingdom Come pits rival generations of superpowered fighters against each other — both match the film's mix of visceral combat and high stakes.