The recent release of Mortal Kombat II has already sparked widespread praise, with audiences pointing to the clash between Liu Kang and Kung Lao as the film’s standout moment. Max Huang delivers a fierce performance as the undead Revenant, battling Ludi Lin’s Liu Kang in a sequence that perfectly merges high-octane stuntwork with seamless VFX. Beyond the breathtaking visuals, the fight leaves fans craving more, especially when it comes to the characters’ martial arts origins. Many are now calling for a Kung Lao and Liu Kang Shaolin Monks spinoff movie to explore the duo’s roots before their rivalry consumed them.

The Epic Battle That Steals the Show

Months of Preparation and Brutal Stunt Work

Huang spent eight months preparing for his return as a villain, focusing heavily on grounding Kung Lao in his video game origins. To truly capture the essence of the character, the actor trained alongside a Shaolin monk, emphasizing the philosophical connection between martial arts and weaponry. “I wanted to give Kung Lao more depth and I wanted to bring him back to his origin,” Huang explained. The on-screen magic required meticulous planning, and the production team broke down the process into several key phases:

  • Eight months of dedicated prep work focusing on his villainous return
  • Intensive training with a Shaolin monk to ground the character’s origins
  • Using an iPhone to meticulously match framing and capture every movement
  • A grueling week of filming where Huang performed nearly all his own stunts

Huang described the physical toll of the sequence as absolutely brutal. By day six, exhaustion hit hard during a moment where he was supposed to rise from the ground. “I was lying on the floor and was meant to get up, but just couldn’t. I was like, okay, I just need one minute,” he recalled. Despite the grueling schedule, Huang’s perspective on action filmmaking remains refreshingly grounded. He draws a sharp contrast between his time on Hollywood sets and his decade-long tenure with Jackie Chan’s stunt team.

A Philosophy Beyond Choreography

“In China, we used to have sometimes 16-18 hour days of nonstop working, and you would be lucky if there was coffee around on set,” Huang noted. “It's just like, ‘Boom, boom, boom, one shot after another. And I feel like when I come to Hollywood, it's almost like a vacation to be honest.” When it comes to Kung Lao’s iconic hat, Huang applied traditional martial arts principles to make the prop feel like a natural extension of the character. “The philosophy in Chinese martial arts is always to enhance the weapon as part of your body,” he shared. “And I try to do the same with the hat. The approach was to bring it all together and make the hat become part of Kung Lao instead of being separate.”

Huang also pushes back against the common comparison of fight scenes to dance routines. He insists that authentic combat relies on reactivity rather than rigid planning. “It's actually the opposite and it's very spontaneous,” he said. “It's very reactive out of the moment. If you look at the UFC, you never know what the next moment will give you. There's always a surprise that lies ahead.” Instead of obsessing over precise choreography, Huang focuses on finding the truth of the moment within the action. “I'm more interested in the connection between the two characters and what it is about,” he continued. “What do we want to express? I think that's part of the reason why this scene works so well, because instead of just moving in a fancy way, this fight is telling a story.”

Future Storylines and the Dream of a Kung Lao and Liu Kang Shaolin Monks Spinoff Movie

What Lies Ahead for the Revenant

Before diving into the film’s climax, Huang did his homework by studying Mortal Kombat 11 to identify Kung Lao’s top five iconic movements. That dedication clearly paid off, with Huang calling the final sequence “probably the best fight scene I've done so far. It’s the fight of my life.” However, the battle concludes with a devastating turn of events. Liu Kang turns Kung Lao’s own hat against him, tearing the Revenant in half in typically gruesome fashion. Following his ascension to godhood, Liu Kang vows to rescue his former ally from the afterlife.

Given the franchise’s history, Kung Lao’s survival rate has been notoriously grim, having died in every previous film adaptation. Huang is hopeful for a reprieve. “Well, first of all, I hope that he doesn't suffer another death!” he said. “Give him a break, let him live for a second.” With a third installment already in development, the door remains wide open for spinoffs. If the studio decides to explore the duo’s past, fans would undoubtedly welcome a Kung Lao and Liu Kang Shaolin Monks spinoff movie. “There's so many possibilities where this whole franchise can go,” Huang added, leaving the door open for future adventures that honor the warriors’ shared heritage.