Lewis Tan plays Cole Young in the 2021 Mortal Kombat film.
Cole Young is an original protagonist created for the 2021 movie rather than a character from the classic game roster. He is introduced as a mixed-martial-arts fighter who carries a dragon-shaped birthmark. That mark identifies him as a potential champion in the Mortal Kombat tournament and draws him into the conflict between Earthrealm and Outworld.
The film uses Cole as an audience-entry character who discovers the franchise’s supernatural mythology alongside viewers unfamiliar with the games. His family relationship with his wife and daughter provides a personal motivation that is separate from the tournament’s ancient rules.
Cole’s connection to Scorpion becomes an important part of the movie’s story. The film also features game characters including Sonya Blade, Jax Briggs, Liu Kang, Kung Lao, Raiden, Shang Tsung, Sub-Zero, and Mileena. Because Cole was created for the film, he should not be confused with Takeda, a playable character introduced in Mortal Kombat X.