EXCLUSIVE: New Line is getting back into a fighting stance on a sequel to Mortal Kombat, the action adventure film based on the blockbuster video game franchise. The studio has hired Jeremy Slater to write Mortal Kombat 2.

Slater was head writer on the Marvel/Disney+ series Moon Knight, which stars Oscar Isaac, Ethan Hawke and Gaspard Ulliel, the French actor who last week died in a skiing accident after the series’ first season had been completed. Slater is also writing to direct Thread for Screen Gems, with James Wan and Atomic Monster producing. His recent scripting credits include the Netflix/21 Laps film Uprising with Travis Knight directing, and adapted Stephen King’s The Tommyknockers for Universal and James Wan. He also developed The Umbrella Academy for Netflix/UCP/Dark Horse and was creator and co-showrunner of The Exorcist on Fox.

Based on the Ed Boon and John Tobias-created video game phenomenon. The last film was released in April 2021 during the pandemic, simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max opening number one at the box office and ranking among the top feature titles ever on HBO Max since the platform launched. The film was directed by Simon McQuoid, who produced with Todd Garner, E. Bennett Walsh and James Wan. In last year’s action-fest, an MMA fighter sought out Earth’s greatest champions in order to stand against the enemies of Outworld. It was a battle for the universe. No other deals are locked at this point. Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Joe Taslim, Mehcad Brooks, Ludi Lin and Tadanobu Asano headed the cast.

Slater is repped by UTA, Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment and McKuin, Frankel Whitehead LLP.

Karl Urban is in final talks to star as fan-favorite character “Johnny Cage” in the sequel to New Line’s hit 2021 action adventure “Mortal Kombat” based on the blockbuster video-game franchise.

Simon McQuoid, who directed the 2021 film, is set to return. Jeremy Slater (“Moon Knight,” “The Umbrella Academy”) wrote the screenplay for the sequel.