Adeline Rudolph did not grow up gaming. She had never trained in martial arts. And she booked one of the biggest franchise roles of the year over a pixelated Zoom call from Bulgaria. Now, as Kitana in Mortal Kombat II, she carries the film’s emotional spine — and she wants more.
The film, directed by Simon McQuoid and released by Warner Bros. Pictures on May 8, 2026, grossed $65 million worldwide in its first week on an $80 million budget, finishing its opening weekend second to The Devil Wears Prada 2. Critics delivered mixed verdicts, though Rudolph’s performance drew consistent praise. One reviewer noted that she “sells multiple beats that convey Kitana’s inner turmoil” with real conviction.
Born in Hong Kong to Korean and German parents, Rudolph speaks four languages fluently. She prepared for Kitana by immersing herself in game lore through YouTube gameplay videos and Reddit fan theories, and trained daily in tai chi, wushu, and kung fu once cast. The role — a warrior princess pursuing vengeance against the tyrant who murdered her father and enslaved her mother — gave her exactly what she looks for as an actor. “When I first read the script, it felt like such a beautiful ensemble effort,” she said. “I was aware that I was going to carry [the emotional weight] throughout the movie, and as an actor, that’s what I crave.”
The casting itself came with an unexpected twist. Rudolph and co-star Tati Gabrielle, who plays Jade, had previously appeared as sisters on Chilling Adventures of Sabrina — a connection the producers apparently did not fully register when casting them as sister-like figures again. Gabrielle was the one who inadvertently confirmed Rudolph had booked the job.
Fans have questioned why Mileena — Kitana’s sister-clone from the video games, killed in the 2021 original — plays no role in the sequel. Rudolph does not see her absence as permanent. “I definitely think there is a lot of room left for Mileena to have her own storyline with Kitana,” she said. “I wouldn’t necessarily close that door.”
Screenwriter Jeremy Slater is close to completing a second draft of Mortal Kombat III, though the film has not yet received an official greenlight. The sequel’s ending sets up a mission to the Netherrealm to rescue fallen fighters.
Rudolph has two projects lined up: a Reacher spinoff series called Neagley, and Perfect Girl, a psychological thriller set inside the K-pop trainee system.
