Who played Shao Kahn in the 1997 film Mortal Kombat: Annihilation?

Brian Thompson played Shao Kahn in the 1997 film Mortal Kombat: Annihilation.

Thompson is an American actor known for roles in action, science-fiction, and fantasy productions. In the film, he portrays the tyrannical emperor of Outworld, who attempts to merge Outworld with Earthrealm under the conditions of the sixth tournament cycle.

Mortal Kombat: Annihilation is the sequel to the 1995 film Mortal Kombat. It adapts material and characters from several games, particularly Mortal Kombat 3, while also introducing major changes to the games’ mythology. Thompson’s Shao Kahn is a live-action version of the series’ principal Outworld conqueror and recurring antagonist.

A common mix-up is confusing Thompson with James Remar, who played Raiden in this sequel, or Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, who played Shang Tsung in the 1995 film. Shao Kahn’s actor also differs between live-action adaptations and later game-related performances.