Jean-Claude Van Damme as Johnny Cage in MK1

Actor and martial artist Jean-Claude Van Damme has been revealed as Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat 1. This iconic casting comes after the game’s creators initially considered making a game centred around Van Damme himself.

Van Damme is dressed in a costume nearly identical to that of the original Johnny Cage design — belt, slippers and spandex shorts — introduced in 1992’s Mortal Kombat. In the very brief snippet of Van Damme as Cage, we see him about to fight the other Johnny Cage in his Hollywood home, with classic Sonya Blade gearing up to assist JCVD as a Kameo Fighter. Mortal Kombat 1 is coming to Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Windows PC and Xbox Series X on September 19.

Cher is teasing her new Christmas album

At 77 years, legendary singer and actress Cher has given fans a glimpse of her upcoming holiday album, “Cher Christmas,” by sharing its festive cover art. The artwork features silver and red holiday decorations, with Cher standing on a snowy platform in a white shirt and rhinestone-encrusted jeans.

In a recent interview on Good Morning Britain, Cher expressed her pride in the album, emphasising that it’s not your typical Christmas collection. This marks Cher’s first album since 2018’s “Dancing Queen”, although the release date for “Cher Christmas” is yet to be announced.

Chicken Run: Dawn of The Nugget release date announced

After more than two decades, the beloved Claymation chickens of Chicken Run are making a return in Chicken Run: Dawn Of The Nugget.

The sequel boasts a new cast with Zachary Levi as Rocky, Thandiwe Newton as Ginger, and Bella Ramsay as Molly. Familiar faces from the original film, including Miranda Richardson, Imelda Staunton and Jane Horrocks, are also back. In this new adventure, the chicken gang must leave their sanctuary to face a new threat on the mainland. The sequel is coming on Netflix on December 15th, offering a cosy winter viewing option.

Published in Dawn, Young World, September 16th, 2023