Here's when Mortal Kombat is returning to HBO Max for free

Mortal Kombat is coming back to HBO Max, and will be streaming totally free once again.

The film premiered in theaters and on the streamer simultaneously earlier this year, in line with Warner Bros.' 2021 release strategy. It was only available free for a month, though, and if you've been in the mood to re-experience the film in all its gore and glory, the good news is it's back on HBO Max this September 9.

The Mortal Kombat movie follows a brand new protagonist, Cole Young (Lewis Tan), an onetime MMA champion now fighting for cash. He was born with a mysterious dragon mark, and it turns out this actually means he's a champion of Earthrealm – and he's going to have to duke it out with enemies from Netherrealm in an epic tournament called, you guessed it, Mortal Kombat. Familiar faces from the games like Sub-Zero, Scorpion, and Sonya Blade appear in the movie.

While the film debuted to mixed reviews, it was still a hit, remaining HBO Max's most watched at-home debut, according to Samba TV numbers measured across the first 17 days streaming (H/T Deadline). That means it's outperformed the likes of The Suicide Squad and Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, though Deadline indicates insiders say Godzilla vs. Kong is actually the most watched day-and-date release. 

There's no official word on a Mortal Kombat sequel just yet, though director Simon McQuoid seems open to the possibility: "If the fans want another one, that's not for us to decide; that's for the fans to decide." We've got our own ideas on what we want from a potential Mortal Kombat sequel...

While you wait for Mortal Kombat to return to HBO Max free this September 9, check out our guide to the best Netflix movies to fill out your watchlist.