Mortal Kombat – its impact on the statue industry

Odds are you’ve heard the iconic lines “GET OVER HERE!!!” or “FINISH HIM!!!” being yelled at one point in pop-culture circles, or even heard the theme song being played in the background at a party. This is because of the massive popularity of the iconic fighting game franchise known as “Mortal Kombat”.

What started as a simple 2D fighting game by Midway Games in 1992 (the predecessor to Netherrealm Studios) that you’d play on an arcade machine has evolved into a monumental brand that has given birth to multiple video games across consoles, films (both animated & live action), fan projects, cosplays, and best of all: STATUES. From brands like Iron Studios, Syco Collectibles, PCS, and private online groups, statue collectors (especially Mortal Kombat statue collectors) are spoilt for choice!

Mortal Kombat introduces us to a world ruled by mythical & ethereal beings known as “Elder Gods,” who govern multiple worlds referred to as “realms.” The three most important ones being “Earthrealm” (Earth), “Outworld” (a large and often hostile realm filled with constant strife, barren wastelands, vast deserts, molten caverns, pools of acid, dense forests with animated faces, sinister temples and shrines, and mysterious mountain peaks) and “The Netherrealm” (a fiery hellscape that is inhabited bydemons, monsters, and beings of the purest evil). Denizens of one realm could only conquer another realm by defeating the defending realm's greatest warriors in ten consecutive martial arts tournaments, called Mortal Kombat. This has led to the introduction of many characters throughout the franchise, resulting in the creation of numerous amazing statues.

The most popular line right now is the 1/10 scale “KLASSIC” line. The first to be revealed was “Reptile”, who is known for his stealth, acid spit, and elusive background story, and rocking a look that harkens back to his appearance in Mortal Kombat 2. Other colour variants were later released to cover the classic outfits worn by the other ninja characters in the early editions of the games, such as Smoke, Ermac, and Rain, among others.

Eventually, different characters would be released by Iron Studios within the line. Characters like the fiery ninja “Scorpion” and his icy rival “Sub-Zero", the tyrannical warlord “Shao Kahn”, and the large four-armed brute known as “Goro” would come onto the scene with details and visual effects that perfectly convey who they are as characters. Also, with the Mortal Kombat roster being as extensive as it is, more are still on the way, such as the ferociously fanged “Mileena” and the charismatic martial arts movie star “Johnny Cage,” to name a few.

Before Iron Studios, however, there were also statues released by “Syco Collectibles” that had released a limited range of statues based on the Mortal Kombat 9 video game. Each piece was crafted with a great level of detail that also captured the artistic style of the video game (Mortal Kombat 9) itself. Due to the company ceasing production, these pieces have now become rare and sought after within the Mortal Kombat collector community.

 PCS had also dipped its toes into the franchise with pieces from various video games. For instance, they had released a life-size bust of Scorpion based on his design from the Mortal Kombat 9 video game, and a large statue of his icy rival, Sub-Zero.

They would later release statues from the Mortal Kombat X video game, such as the sinister sorcerer Quan-Chi. 

Their recent release in relation to the franchise was of the undead assassin Noob Saibot, based on his design from Mortal Kombat 11. This large statue captures him in a dynamic pose with a sickle in hand and a shadow clone behind him, ready to strike his victim.

 Of course, should collectors wish to opt for a more classic look, there were also statues of Jade, Mileena & Kitana, all three inspired by their classic designs. Their size, shelf-presence, and detailing make these a must-have for any Mortal Kombat collector!

With the upcoming sequel to the live-action adaptation on the horizon, we as statue collectors are looking forward to seeing what type of statues are released in the future, and if the previous statues that were mentioned are any indicator, they will capture the look and feel of this franchise!