1. It could have starred Cameron Diaz, Sean Connery and Brandan Lee
Originally, Cameron Diaz was cast in the role of Sonya Blade. Because The Mask was in post-production, Diaz was not yet a household name, but producers still saw the potential in the future Hollywood star. Unfortunately, the actress broke her wrist while training for the role and was left unable to perform the martial arts stunts the film required. The part then went to Bridgette Wilson, who had literally just completed her final day of shooting Billy Madison when she got the offer to play Sonya. Because the part required the actress to begin shooting immediately, she may not have been able to accept the role if the call had come in just a few days earlier.As for casting Rayden (spelled “Raiden” in the games), the Mortal Kombat team was looking for a more recognizable star. Even Danny Glover’s name had come up at one point as a possibility according to Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon, though it’s not clear if he was ever actually offered the part. Meanwhile, legendary actor Sean Connery was approached during the casting process to gauge his interest for playing Rayden, but he ultimately declined the offer. “We understood at that time that he really wanted to golf. He wasn’t interested at that time in doing a physical role,” associate producer Lauri Apelian told THR in 2015.
Christopher Lambert was then cast instead.
The role of Johnny Cage could have also been quite a bit different.Because the original video game character is based on Jean-Claude Van Damme, the Bloodsport star himself was considered for the role. However, because he was already committed to Street Fighter, using Van Damme was not an option. The part then went to Bruce Lee’s son Brandon Lee, but he was tragically killed in an accident on the set of The Crow before he could start filming Mortal Kombat. Linden Ashby would be officially cast as Johnny Cage soon after, and he wound up being perfect for the role.