The long-awaited Mortal Kombat reboot is finally heating up. Or, in this case, chilling out, as The Raid star Joe Taslim has been cast as Sub-Zero in the upcoming video game adaptation. Horror master and blockbuster wiz James Wan (The Conjuring, Aquaman) is set to produce the new adaptation of classic video game series, which has been in the works for some time. Now, with shooting set to take place later this year, things are finally getting serious.

According to a new report, Joe Taslim is the first actor to actually close a deal to star in the new Mortal Kombat. We had heard rumors previously regarding actors such as Joel Edgerton being eyed for the reboot, but those rumors have yet to produce any actual results. Taslim will portray the fan-favorite Sub-Zero, who has been a part of the series since the very first game was released in 1992. The character has powers that revolve around his ability to control and manipulate water, turning it into ice and using it against his opponents.

Joe Taslim got his start in Gareth Evans' highly-regarded cult action movie The Raid. Some of his other credits include Fast & Furious 6, as well as Star Trek Beyond and Netflix's The Night Comes for Us. François Petit previously portrayed Sub-Zero in the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie, which was directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, the man who would go on to launch the highly successful Resident Evil franchise. At the present time, it isn't clear what other characters are being eyed for the new movie, nor have any specific plot details been revealed. The video games, generally speaking, pit fighters with unique abilities against one another in battles to the death.

James Wan will produce with commercial director Simon McQuoid set to make his feature directorial debut. The screenplay has passed through several hands over the years, but the most recent draft was penned by relative newcomer Greg Russo. Coincidentally, Russo is also working on a reboot of the Resident Evil franchise. Warner Bros. and New Line locked down a deal to shoot the movie in Australia later this year.

Again, no specific details have been revealed, but it's expected that this will be an R-rated take on the material. Mortal Kombat, since its launch in 1992, has gone on to become one of the most profitable and enduring titles in all of video games. Mortal Kombat 11 was released to great success earlier this year in April.

The original Mortal Kombat was one of Hollywood's earliest attempts at adapting a video game series for the big screen. That's a code that still hasn't totally been cracked. A sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, was released in 1997. As far as theatrically released movies go, that was the last time we've seen the likes of Raiden, Liu Kang or Johnny Cage on screen. We'll be sure to keep you posted as further details on the reboot are made available. This news comes to us via The Hollywood Reporter.