Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks could be making a comeback, but the rumored remaster has not been officially announced by NetherRealm Studios or Warner Bros.

The beloved Mortal Kombat spin-off Shaolin Monks continues to be one of the most requested classic entries in the franchise, and fresh speculation has once again fueled hopes that the game could return on modern platforms.

Originally released in 2005 for PlayStation 2 and Xbox, Shaolin Monks offered something very different from the traditional Mortal Kombat fighting games, combining the franchise’s brutal combat with an action-adventure and beat-’em-up structure. The ESRB lists the original game for PlayStation 2 and Xbox with an M rating for blood and gore, intense violence and language.

Is Shaolin Monks Remastered Actually Confirmed?

No — not at this time.

There has been no official announcement confirming that Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks Remastered is currently in production.

However, the idea is not completely baseless.

Mortal Kombat co-creator and NetherRealm creative director Ed Boon has repeatedly acknowledged the demand for the game to return. In a 2022 interview, Boon said the team had discussed either making a sequel, rebooting Shaolin Monks, or remastering it. He also explained that the studio’s workload on Mortal Kombat and Injustice made finding room for such a project difficult.

That makes a remaster a long-discussed possibility, rather than a confirmed project.

Ed Boon Has Previously Talked About a Remaster

The interest goes back even further.

During a 2019 Q&A, Boon said that Shaolin Monks was one of the older games that fans wanted remastered and that the studio had considered the idea, while emphasizing that nothing had been announced at the time.

Boon later continued to show appreciation for the game. In 2023, he responded to a fan interaction by saying he would have liked to remaster Shaolin Monks.

So the demand from fans isn’t new — and neither is the idea of a remaster within the franchise’s leadership.

Why Fans Want Shaolin Monks Back

Unlike the mainline Mortal Kombat games, Shaolin Monks focused on a cooperative action-adventure experience starring Liu Kang and Kung Lao.

The game combined:

• Beat-’em-up combat
• Mortal Kombat-style special attacks
• Fatalities and brutal finishing moves
• Cooperative gameplay
• Exploration across Mortal Kombat locations
• Multiple playable characters
• A story built around the events surrounding Mortal Kombat II

Its combination of co-op action and Mortal Kombat’s characters gave the game a distinct identity that fans still remember nearly two decades later.

Could a Remaster Add Online Co-op?

This is one of the biggest possibilities fans would likely want from a modern release.

The original experience was built around local multiplayer, so a modern remaster could potentially introduce online co-op, improved controls, modern graphics, higher-resolution assets and quality-of-life improvements.

However, none of these features have been officially announced.

They should therefore be treated as potential improvements rather than confirmed features.

What About Mortal Kombat’s Next Game?

There is another reason the latest speculation is attracting attention.

In May 2026, Ed Boon confirmed that NetherRealm Studios is pursuing another Mortal Kombat game, although he did not reveal which specific project the studio is developing.

That confirmation does not mean the next Mortal Kombat project is Shaolin Monks Remastered.

It simply establishes that another Mortal Kombat game is being pursued.

The distinction is important because NetherRealm could potentially be working on another mainline entry or a different Mortal Kombat project.

Could Shaolin Monks Become a Remake Instead?

A full remake would arguably give NetherRealm more freedom than a straightforward remaster.

A remake could potentially rebuild the combat system, environments and character models while expanding the original campaign.

Possible additions could include:

• Modern third-person combat
• Expanded environments
• New enemy types
• Improved boss encounters
• Online co-op
• New story content
• Additional playable characters
• Modern accessibility options

But again, there is currently no official confirmation that these features are being developed.

The Original Shaolin Monks Still Has a Strong Legacy

The game’s continued popularity is notable because Shaolin Monks was a relatively unusual experiment for the franchise.

Rather than focusing on one-on-one fighting, it turned Mortal Kombat’s characters and universe into a cooperative action game.

Ed Boon himself has described the game as one of the franchise’s most popular spin-offs and said fans ask about its return frequently.

That long-standing demand helps explain why every new hint or comment from Boon can reignite speculation about a potential return.

Final Verdict

The possibility of a Shaolin Monks remaster is real, but the claim that it is currently “in development” should still be treated as a rumor.

Ed Boon has repeatedly acknowledged interest in remastering or rebooting the game, and Shaolin Monks remains one of the most requested classic Mortal Kombat experiences.

Meanwhile, Boon confirmed in 2026 that NetherRealm is pursuing another Mortal Kombat game, but he did not identify the project.

So for your website, the safest and most accurate headline is:

Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks Remastered Reportedly in the Works

rather than presenting the remaster as officially confirmed.