The Mortal Kombat franchise has a long and winding history, and one of its most intriguing moments involves a casting decision that could have changed the course of the series. In the early 1990s, Midway Games was developing the original Mortal Kombat arcade game, which would go on to become a cultural phenomenon. The game featured a diverse cast of characters, including the lightning-wielding warrior Raiden, who was originally voiced by Carlos Pesina. However, when it came time to adapt the game into a live-action film in 1995, the creative team had a wild idea: they considered casting Danny Glover as Raiden.
This decision was not without controversy. Glover, a celebrated actor with a diverse range of roles, is a Black man from San Francisco. While he has starred in iconic films like Lethal Weapon, Predator 2, and The Color Purple, he is not typically associated with the image of an Asian warrior like Raiden. The character's conical hat, or douli, is commonly worn in East Asian countries, and his role as a protector of Earthrealm in the game's mythology further suggests an Asian heritage.
The idea of casting Glover as Raiden was, in fact, floated by a New Line Cinema executive to Ed Boon, one of the co-creators of the Mortal Kombat video game. Boon, who was initially skeptical about the film's chances of success, found the suggestion intriguing. However, he also acknowledged that the game's original sprite for Raiden, created by Carlos Pesina, was not explicitly defined as Asian, and the decision to cast Lambert as Raiden was ultimately made.
Christopher Lambert, known for his role in Highlander, was chosen to play Raiden in the 1995 film. While Lambert brought his own unique performance to the character, it was not a perfect fit. The film, which toned down the gore and violence of the game, was a box office hit but did not live up to the expectations of many fans. It doomed video game movies for decades to come.
The casting of Raiden in the 1995 film was just one of many interesting decisions made during the development of the Mortal Kombat franchise. The character has been portrayed by several actors over the years, including Ron Feinberg in the animated tie-in film Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins and James Remar in the live-action sequel Mortal Kombat: Annihilation. In the 2020s, the franchise saw a resurgence with the release of ultra-violent animated features and a live-action reboot in 2021, which finally cast an Asian actor, Tadanobu Asano, as Raiden.
The idea of casting Danny Glover as Raiden may have been a wild one, but it highlights the creative and often controversial decisions that go into adapting video games for the big screen. The Mortal Kombat franchise has endured for decades, and its story is a testament to the power of imagination and the enduring appeal of gaming culture. From the original arcade game to the latest live-action reboot, Mortal Kombat continues to captivate audiences and push the boundaries of what's possible in the world of entertainment.
