AceShowbiz - "Mortal Kombat" has locked in one of its key players. Indonesian actor and martial artist Joe Taslim has been cast in the role Sub-Zero for New Line's upcoming live-action reboot of the video game by Midway Games.

Sub-Zero, a frosty ninja, is one of the original characters in the combat tournament game along with Johnny Cage, Kano, Liu Kang, Raiden, Scorpion, Sonya Blade, Goro, Shang Tsung and Reptile. He's known for his attacks involving ice and has a long-running rivalry with similarly garbed fellow kombatant Scorpion.

Taslim is the first actor who has closed a deal on the "Mortal Kombat" movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The 38-year-old actor and former member of the Indonesia Judo national team has his breakthrough with his role as Jaka in Gareth Evans' critically-acclaimed action film "The Raid" (2011). He later landed a role in "Fast and Furious 6" (2013), "Star Trek Beyond" (2016) and stars in 2018 Netflix film "The Night Comes for Us".

The "Mortal Kombat" video game, which was first launched in 1992, centers on a massive roster of character fighters from different realms in a fictional universe battling for supremacy. Greg Russo wrote the latest version of the screenplay.

Casting for other characters is reportedly currently underway in Australia, where the movie is expected to film later this year. The project will be the feature debut of veteran commercial director Simon McQuoid. James Wan is producing under his Atomic Monster banner, with Todd Garner also producing, while Larry Kasanoff, E. Bennett Walsh, Michael Clear and Sean Robins serve as executive producers.

The video game has been turned into a movie in 1995 by Paul W. S. Anderson. It was a commercial success, grossing $122.1 million against its $18 million budget. Its sequel "Mortal Kombat: Annihilation" was released in 1997 from director John R. Leonetti, but failed to repeat the success of its predecessor. It brought in only $51.3 million, less than half of the first film's revenue, against its $30 million budget.