2026’s Most Underrated Action-Fantasy Film Is Dominating the Streaming Charts Just Months After Release
Cinema history brims with examples of beloved films that don’t find their stride, their audience, until after they’ve left theaters. Classics such as Dredd and The Shawshank Redemption struggled to put butts in seats — earning only $41 million and $29 million worldwide, respectively — before building a cult following through home video and streaming. This still happens plenty. Earlier this year, a beloved multimedia fantasy franchise released its first film in years, underperforming at the box office but gaining new life via streaming.
Per streaming tracker FlixPatrol, Mortal Kombat II is currently HBO Max’s most-watched film today, leading a top ten that includes Troy, Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, and 2021’s Mortal Kombat reboot, to which this is a sequel. The film hit the subscription platform on July 24th, rocketing to the #1 spot within days of its streaming debut. It’s still too early to say if it will achieve cult status, but these numbers are encouraging.
How Mortal Kombat II Fared With Theater Audiences
Adapting the legendary video game franchise of the same name, Mortal Kombat II pits mystical warriors against each other in deadly one-on-one battles. It opened in theaters on May 8th, 2026, prompting decent reviews from critics and enjoying an 87% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite this mostly positive reception, though, it couldn’t quite convert that into a windfall. It managed to surpass its predecessor at the box office, leaving theaters with a $129 million haul against its $80 million budget.
Just as importantly, Mortal Kombat II fixed a number of its predecessor’s weaker elements. Karl Urban’s introduction as Johnny Cage, a martial artist and former action film star who joins the fight to save his world, was a must, a non-negotiable. Urban’s status as a genre staple, coupled with Cage’s popularity in the games, makes him a vital part of the franchise’s success, and Mortal Kombat II can only benefit from his inclusion.
Its predecessor, 2021’s Cageless Mortal Kombat reboot, pulled in over $80 million at the domestic box office, making just enough of its money back to convince Warner Bros. to greenlight a sequel. The movie was released simultaneously on HBO Max, giving COVID-conscious viewers the option to see it with those braving the theaters.
In October 2025, months before Mortal Kombat II‘s release, a third film was confirmed to be in development, suggesting plenty of confidence on the studio’s part. Now, with Mortal Kombat II eating everyone’s lunch on streaming, Mortal Kombat 3 is more likely than ever.
The Mortal Kombat films resonate because they capture the violent outrageousness of the video games, and they do so without reservation or apology. Mortal Kombat II doubles down on this, foregoing plot for action and having a blast doing it. The energy of the games is alive and kicking (and punching) in these films, and that, even more so than Urban’s casting, is why they will continue to succeed.
What do you think? Are you among those boosting Mortal Kombat II‘s streaming numbers? Let us know what you think of the movie in the comments!
