Sarah Michelle Gellar, the renowned actress famous for her roles in Buffy The Vampire Slayer, I Know What You Did Last Summer, and Scooby-Doo, was reportedly approached to appear in a Mortal Kombat game. This revelation comes from her husband, Freddie Prinze Jr., who shared the details on an episode of his wrestling podcast, Wrestling With Freddie. Although the idea of Gellar in a Mortal Kombat game sounds intriguing, she declined the offer due to her dissatisfaction with the proposed terms of appearance.
During a discussion on dream character crossovers between rival pop culture brands, Prinze and his podcast co-host Jeff Dye touched upon the topic of Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter, which often introduce guest characters from iconic action film franchises to their roster. It was then that Prinze mentioned Gellar’s missed opportunity, stating, “They tried to get my wife in Mortal Kombat, but they couldn’t afford her. She’s got her price.” He later emphasized her value by referring to her appearance in Call of Duty: Black Ops, which set a certain precedent and elevated her perceived worth.
Whether Gellar would have portrayed an existing Mortal Kombat character or reprised one of her iconic screen roles like Buffy Summers, the prospect of seeing her likeness battling it out in Mortal Kombat would have been undeniably entertaining. However, it appears that this fantasy will remain just that—a dream crossover that will never come to fruition.
In recent iterations of Mortal Kombat, the game has featured notable crossovers with actors and characters from various franchises. For example, Megan Fox portrays the existing character Nitara in Mortal Kombat 1, while Jean-Claude Van Damme appears as an optional character palette swap for Johnny Cage—a character originally designed with Van Damme in mind. Post-launch DLC will also introduce popular characters such as Omni-Man (from Invincible), Homelander (from The Boys), and Peacemaker (from Suicide Squad), with actors Anthony Starr and John Cena providing inspiration for their respective representations.
The previous installment, Mortal Kombat 11, included UFC-turned-WWE fighter Ronda Rousey as the existing character Sonya Blade. It also showcased iconic film characters like the Terminator (portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger), John Rambo (with Sylvester Stallone providing likeness and voice capture), and RoboCop (reprised by actor Peter Weller for the first time since Robocop 2).
Prinze’s admiration for his wife’s talent and negotiation skills was evident when he praised Gellar, stating emphatically, “My wife’s the shit, bro. She’s the truth. She doesn’t play. She knows her worth.” This sentiment highlights Gellar’s understanding of her value as an actress and her ability to secure roles that align with her standards.
It is disappointing that Gellar will not be gracing the Mortal Kombat universe. Her charismatic screen presence and extensive action experience would have undoubtedly added a new level of excitement to the game. Unfortunately, due to disagreements over the terms of her appearance, this potential collaboration remains unfulfilled.
The failed casting of Sarah Michelle Gellar in Mortal Kombat represents a missed opportunity for both the actress and the game developers. Gellar’s refusal to compromise on her worth is a testament to her professionalism and self-awareness. While fans will never see Gellar’s likeness eviscerating Mortal Kombat characters, the dream of her crossover will live on in the realm of imagination.
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