Mortal Kombat 1: Homelander, Peacemaker, Li Mei, and more at San Diego Comic-Con

After many leaks and rumors, NetherRealm Studios has finally confirmed that Homelander and Peacemaker are coming to Mortal Kombat 1 as special guest characters. They’re joined by Omni-Man, the Image Comics hero created by Robert Kirkman, who also starred in Invincible, and returning Mortal Kombat characters Quan Chi, Ermac, Takeda, Li Mei, Tanya, and Baraka.

NetherRealm Studios revealed the new Mortal Kombat 1 roster additions during its San Diego Comic-Con panel, featuring several members of the development team along with series director Ed Boon.

Homelander and Peacemaker are ready for Kombat

Homelander and Peacemaker are two of the most notable additions to Mortal Kombat 1’s roster. They’re part of a well-established tradition of guest characters that previously included the Xenomorph, Predator, and other characters. Amazon’s listing revealed a few months ago that Homelander characters would be joined by Quan Chi, Omni-Man, Takeda, and Ermac in the first DLC Kombat Pack, but this is the first time it’s actually been revealed.

Homelander has found fame as the main antagonist of The Boys, and with a full Gen 5 release date now out, he’s been appearing in more games lately. His other appearances include a cameo in Call of Duty, where his heat vision proves to be very powerful. Peacemaker, played by John Cena in the series written by James Gunn, has also proven popular since its well-received spin-off in 2022. In a press release, NetherRealm’s parent company Warner Bros. Discovery that Homelander will not be available as a playable character until the spring of 2024.

Omni-Man isn’t as well known as Homelander and Peacemaker, but it will be familiar to comics fans. Played by JK Simmons in Invincible, his reveal coincides with the imminent release of the show’s second season.

Outside of six new playable characters, the first Kombat pack will also include a Jean-Claude Van Damme skin for Johnny Cage, as well as five new Kameo fighters: Ferra, Johnny Cage, Khameleon, Mavado & Tremor.

Li Mai returns with Tanya and Baraka

In addition to her own DLC characters, NetherRealm Studios has also confirmed that Li Mei will be joining the Mortal Kombat 1 roster. Previously played by Tara Strong, Li Mei appeared as an NPC in Mortal Kombat X. Her addition is part of a broader effort to redefine the origins of familiar Mortal Kombat characters.

Elsewhere, Tanya and Baraka will also be playable. All three appear to be listed rather than appearing as Kameos – a somewhat controversial system that has turned some fan-favorite characters into unplayable passes. Baraka is a particularly well-known character whose roots go back to Mortal Kombat II.

Mortal Kombat 1 was announced in May during the Warner Bros. earnings call. Discovery. A sequel to 2019’s Mortal Kombat 11, the next major installment in the franchise, serves as a reboot of the series and “will reintroduce the Mortal Kombat Universe.”

Mortal Kombat 1 arrives on September 19th for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. For more information on Mortal Kombat 1, check out our interview with series creator Ed Boon on why NetherRealm chose to develop Mortal Kombat 1 over Injustice 3.

You can find all the rest of our San Diego Comic-Con coverage here.

Kat Bailey is IGN News Director and co-host of Nintendo Voice Chat. Do you have advice? Send her a direct message at the_katbot.