Mortal Kombat 1 Teaser Unveils John Cena's Peacemaker, Omni-Man & Homelander

Not long after "Mortal Kombat 1" was announced, a leak hinted that certain characters from popular shows inspired by comic book-based source material would be on the roster. Now, it has officially been confirmed that Omni-Man, Homelander, and Peacemaker will enter the tournament in the twelfth entry of the long-running fighting game franchise.

While many revere the titles from the series for their hard-hitting fatality-happy one-on-one combat, the "Mortal Kombat" games are also known for the lineup of fighters players can select. The franchise has consistently invited various famous guests for certain games, like Jason Voorhees, RoboCop, the Xenomorph alien, and even Kratos, to join fan favorites like Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, and Scorpion.

"Mortal Kombat 1," which takes place in the New Era timeline and was the result of Liu Kang becoming a god at the end of "Mortal Kombat 11," has released a teaser at San Diego Comic-Con for its upcoming Kombat Pack included in the premium and collector's edition of the game launching in September. It will feature known familiar faces like Quan Chi, Ermac, and Takeda. Newcomers to the fight include Omni-Man from "Invincible," Homelander from "The Boys," and Peacemaker from the DC series of the same name. It remains to be seen whether J.K. Simmons, Antony Starr, and John Cena will voice their respective characters in the latest "MK" installment.

At first glance, adding these three "heroes," who often don't play well with others, could seem like a random endeavor. However, hardcore fans can likely spot the method to the madness.

The fact that Homelander, Omni-Man, and Peacemaker have an extraordinary knack for gratuitous violence and each has a high body count have all apparently paid off; the "superheroes" and their efforts of murder and mayhem have earned them the right to compete in Mortal Kombat.

NetherRealm Studios, the game's developers, revealed why these particular personas were chosen to match the theme of guest stars for the new Mortal Kombat title at SDCC 2023. "Well, obviously it's R rated or M rated heroes and villains more from the comic book genre," NetherRealm boss Ed Boon said in an interview with IGN. "Peacemaker, Homelander, Omni-Man, they're all in this hyper and violent category of guests. And that's the theme there along with the Mortal Kombat characters of Takeda and Quan Chi." Boon also rightfully pointed out, "I think a lot of people just seeing Homelander and Omni-Man in the same frame will be just, again, one of those classic who would win in a fight kind of scenarios that players will be able to see the result of."

Many fans have wondered if Omni-Man could take on the Supes from "The Boys," and given the dark history of Homelander, a bout between the two would arguably be a fight for the ages between two sadistic titans. "Mortal Kombat 1" may be the only place fans and players get to witness what it would look like if these two Superman-esque evildoers finally got the opportunity to go head-to-head. Peacemaker also has a reputation for being very competitive, especially in the combat and fatality department, solidifying the decision to add the deadly trio to the mature-rated anti-hero theme as a flawless victory.