History Trivia / MortalKombatTheMovie

** Japanese-born Creator/CaryHiroyukiTagawa as Chinese-born sorcerer Shang Tsung.

* PromotedFanboy: Creator/ChristopherLambert is an avid gamer in real life, and Anderson was a fan of the original game, which helped him secure the job. While other directors had looked down on the project, Anderson pushed hard for the job and did his homework with the game's lore and visual effects (which he had no background on), which impressed both New Line brass and Boon and Tobias.

* PromotedFanboy: Creator/ChristopherLambert is an avid gamer in real life.

** Many of Luke Cage's one liners were ad libs by Linden Ashby, including "Those were 500 dollar sunglasses, asshole!"

** Creator/CameronDiaz was originally cast as Sonya. She broke her wrist before filming began and was replaced by Bridgette Wilson. Creator/ChristinaApplegate and Creator/SharonStone were also considered.

** [[Film/DragonTheBruceLeeStory Jason Scott Lee]], Phillip Rhee, and [[Film/RomeoMustDie Russell Wong]] auditioned for the role of Liu Kang. Robin Shou got the role.

** Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme turned down the role of Johnny to do ''Film/StreetFighter''. Creator/TomCruise and Creator/JohnnyDepp were also considered.

** Creator/SeanConnery was offered the role of Raiden, but he turned it down, as he wasn't interested in doing a physical role. He told the producers that he'd rather golf. Creator/DannyGlover was also considered.

** Rayden's laughter and "sorry" after telling the heroes that the fate of the world is in their hands was an ad-lib by Creator/ChristopherLambert.

** Creator/CameronDiaz was originally cast as Sonya. She broke her wrist before filming began and was replaced by Bridgette Wilson. Creator/ChristinaApplegate and Creator/SharonStone was also considered.

* ExecutiveMeddling: The original screenplay for the film was more faithful to the game, in that it had graphic violence and strong language making it a R rated script. However, the deal that the producers had with New Line Cinema included that they deliver a PG-13 movie to keep the film accessible to the target audience (mostly teenagers).

* ThrowItIn: Liu Kang was supposed to duplicate the acrobatic flips of Sub-Zero's down the ramp during the fight, but Robin Shou couldn't pull it off successfully. After a few takes, instead of the acrobatics, he just ran down into the ramp yelling like a maniac. That's the shot that got used.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: The fight scene between Reptile and Liu Kang was added after test audiences were dissatisfied with the other fights in the movie. Linden Ashby wasn't on the set when the scene was filmed.

** [[Film/DragonTheBruceLeeStory Jason Scott Lee]], Phillip Rhee, and [[Film/RomeoMustDie Russell Wong]] auditioned for the role of Liu Kang. Robin Shou got the role.
** Creator/CameronDiaz was originally cast as Sonya. She broke her wrist before filming began and was replaced by Bridgette Wilson.
** Brandon Lee, son of Creator/BruceLee, was set to play Johnny Cage. After his untimely death, the role was given to Linden Ashby.
** Michael Jai White was slated to play the role of Jax. Ultimately, he left in order to do ''Tyson''. He would eventually end up portraying Jax in ''WebVideo/MortalKombatRebirth'' and ''WebVideo/MortalKombatLegacy''.
** Creator/JeanClaudeVanDamme turned down the role of Johnny to do ''Film/StreetFighter''.

* BeamMeUpScotty: Shang Tsung's famous "Your soul is mine!" line is actually "Your ''brothers'' soul is mine!". People tend to forget the second word.

* BeamMeUpSnotty: Shang Tsung's famous "Your soul is mine!" line is actually "Your ''brothers'' soul is mine!". People tend to forget the second word.

* ThrowItIn: Liu Kang was supposed to duplicate the acrobatic flips of Sub Zero's down the ramp during the fight, but Robin Shou couldn't pull it off successfully. After a few takes, instead of the acrobatics, he just ran down into the ramp yelling like a maniac. That's the shot that got used.

* HeAlsoDid: Francois Petit, who plays Sub-Zero and does all of his gymnastic stunts etc, was also a legendary BackAlleyDoctor[=/=]chiropractor of sorts who would work with Wrestling/{{WWE}} after this movie, and fix wrestlers up after matches if they injured themselves. Stories of his alleged antics include popping the shoulder of Wrestling/MickFoley back in after his first fall in the infamous Wrestling/KingOfTheRing Wrestling/HellInACell match, and doing open heart surgery with his ''bare hands''; according to Wrestling/VinceRusso he was also once in a drag-race with Creator/WarrenBeatty.

* ActorAllusion:
** This isn't the first time that Creator/ChristopherLambert (Raiden) [[Film/{{Highlander}} played an immortal.]]
** Chris Cassamassa (Scorpion) and Hakim Alston (Liu Kang's first opponent) were already fighters in [[Series/WMACMasters a TV show]].

* HeAlsoDid: Francois Petit, who plays Sub-Zero and does all of his gymnastic stunts etc, was also a legendary BackAlleyDoctor[=/=]chiropractor of sorts who would work with ''Wrestling/{{WWE}}'' after this movie, and fix wrestlers up after matches if they injured themselves. Stories of his alleged antics include popping the shoulder of Wrestling/MickFoley back in after his first fall in the infamous Wrestling/KingOfTheRing Wrestling/HellInACell match, and doing open heart surgery with his ''bare hands''; according to Wrestling/VinceRusso he was also once in a drag-race with Creator/WarrenBeatty.

** Scorpion's death would also be different from the final form: instead of exploding after the shield toss, he falls off a platform and onto a spike, referencing the Pit stage fatality from ''MK''.

* HeAlsoDid: Francois Petit, who plays Sub-Zero and does all of his gymnastic stunts etc, was also a legendary BackAlleyDoctor / chiropractor of sorts who would work with Wrestling/WWE after this movie and fix wrestlers up after matches if they injured themselves. Stories of his alleged antics include popping the shoulder of Wrestling/MickFoley back in after his first fall in the infamous Wrestling/KingOfTheRing Hell in a Cell match, and doing open heart surgery with his ''bare hands''; according to Wrestling/VinceRusso he was also once in a drag-race with Creator/WarrenBeatty.

* HeAlsoDid: Francois Petit, who plays Sub-Zero and does all of his gymnastic stunts etc, was also a legendary BackAlleyDoctor / chiropractor of sorts who would work with Wrestling/WWE after this movie and fix wrestlers up after matches if they injured themselves. Stories of his alleged antics include popping the shoulder of Wrester/MickFoley back in after his first fall in the infamous Wrestling/KingOfTheRing Hell in a Cell match, and doing open heart surgery with his ''bare hands''; according to Wrestling/VinceRusso he was also once in a drag-race with Creator/WarrenBeatty.

** Scorpion's death would also be different from the final form: instead of exploding after the shield toss, he falls off a platform and onto a spike, referencimg the Pit stage fatality from ''MK''.

** Australian Trevor Goddard as the Japanese-American Kano, who ended up being such a popular example that the developers of ''Mortal Kombat'' officially changed Kano's nationality to follow suit.

** This isn't the first time that Creator/ChristopherLambert [[Film/{{Highlander}} played an immortal.]]
** Chris Cassamassa and Hakim Alston were already fighters in [[Series/WMACMasters a TV show]].