Put simply? The powers that be at Warner Bros f**ked this up. I contacted Matt and he told me that, basically, he wasn’t a big enough “name actor” (because Casper Van Dien is such a big star, right?). Never mind that he fit the part, and more importantly, IS A REAL MARTIAL ARTIST. Now we can put away any thought of a possible rematch with Michael Jai White (they fought at the end of Blood and Bone). I know it’s a business, and as Matt said, it’s tough out there, but dammit, they made such great moves, getting Cary Hiroyuki-Tagawa back as Shang Tsung, reminding Marc Dacascos that he actually knows martial arts (I jest, sorta) and casting him as Kung Lao, but this is a bad misstep that wasn’t necessary. Properties like Mortal Kombat don’t need “name” stars unless they come from the martial arts world. Season 1 got by without a big name star, and Van Dien, no offense to him, isn’t anywhere near that. I doubt most kids even know who he is. I can only hope Larnell Stovall can dip into his magic bag and make CVD look good on screen.

For now, though, we won’t have Matt, but you know what? You can catch Matt starring opposite Michael Jai White, Darren Shahlavi and Scott Adkins in the Metal Hurlant Chronicles, and White Tiger, a film with Cynthia Rothrock and Don “The Dragon” Wilson (I’ll have more on this film later), and he’s also in the upcoming film King of Vajara. In other words, Matt’s keeping himself busy!

-Michael