A classic fighting franchise can be the next arcana if given the chance

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Arcane it may have only lasted two seasons, but it turned out to be one of the most popular video game adaptations yet. The series became a huge hit on Netflix, bringing together both hardcores League of Legends fans and not players. Despite the short duration of Arcane It's bittersweet, hopefully the series will serve as a model for future animated game adaptations.

Now that Arcane has come to an end, it will be interesting to see which games, if any, receive similar animated treatment. There are many franchises that could spark the same character-driven intrigue Arcanebut there is one series in particular that could be a winning choice for the same approach. Mortal combat has boasted many adaptations, but getting the Arcane treatment might be just what the former needs to finally get a worthy spin-off series.

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A treasure of characters and traditions

THE Mortal combat the roster is filled to the brim with great characters. From Liu Kang and Johnny Cage to Mileena and Scorpion, some of video games' most iconic characters are the product Mortal combat. Even better, there's a deep well of lore the writers can draw from if it's a new animation Mortal combat the series never comes to fruition. The intertwined stories of these characters provide the perfect stage for drama and plot twists, but unfortunately, Mortal combat has yet to have a non-game adaptation that pulls this off well.

Arcane was nominated for Best Adaptation at the 2024 Game Awards.

The Mortal Kombat live-action and animated spinoffs have struggled

  • Mortal Kombat: the journey begins – 1995 (animated)
  • Mortal combat – 1995 (live action)
  • Mortal Kombat: Annihilation – 1997 (live action)
  • Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge – 2020 (animated)
  • Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms – 2021 (animated)
  • Mortal combat – 2021 (live-action)
  • Legends of Mortal Kombat: Snow Blind – 2022 (animated)
  • Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Battle – 2023 (animated)
  • Mortal Combat 2 – 2025 (live action)
  • Mortal Kombat Legends: Fall of Edenia – TBA (animated)

This is a significant number of adaptations, but unfortunately most of them have received mixed or negative reviews. While some animated films have received better ratings than their live-action counterparts, a streaming series may be the better route Mortal combat take.

With a series like Arcaneit's easier to dive deeper into character dynamics and their backstories, whereas movies only allow for a short amount of time. For a character-focused series like Mortal combatmulti-episode seasons could finally give the fighting franchise the compelling adaptation it deserves. More importantly, though, a Mortal combat The spin-off needs the right team behind it.

Mortal Combat 2the next live-action film, will be released on October 24, 2025.

The team behind Arcane was the secret ingredient Mortal Kombat needed

Series creators Christian Linke and Alex Yee worked together with French animation studio Fortiche to make Arcane to life. While a hypothetical Mortal combat The series may not be able to secure the same team, since the franchise is owned by Warner Bros. and not affiliated with Netflix, producers and animators with a similar vision could potentially make an equally special adaptation.

With voices that suggest it Mortal Combat 1 may be nearing its end sooner than expected, it's unclear what the franchise's next move might be. The next film is scheduled for the second half of the year, but other than that, it's a mystery. Mortal combat has a lot of potential to make an emotionally driven series or movie, but it struggled to hit the marks Arcane excelled at. Mortal combat it may never have an animated series like it, but it has almost all the ingredients needed to be worthy Arcane followed.

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