That's the second approach to a good video game adaptation that I didn't get around to on my first post because I was already so longwinded
Enhancing the writing, that is. Unlike The Last of Us, something like Mortal Kombat isn't a complete package that's ready to go, a writer could (and should) add stakes, and emotional weight, and improve the characters. I love Mortal Kombat, but as it is, the lore and storyline is mostly convoluted gobbledegook that is held together by how much fun it is to play and how cool it all is audio-visually. The animated films are a good example of how excellent the fight sequences can be on film and they're fun to watch, but the writing doesn't instill much confidence. A lot of that comes with the vastness of Mortal Kombat lore and the huge cast. The first one is my favorite because it keeps it relatively simple. The second one is already lost in the lore, doing a cliff notes version of epic events that weren't particularly well-written in the first place. The third film is pretty cool and it does utilise some of the later games concepts nicely. I just prefer Mortal Kombat when it's simpler, like the first two-thirds of Mortal Kombat 1 with its more emotional storytelling and the excellent production value, but it gets completely lost in the muck by the end, further convoluting something that could've been a fresh start. I would prefer a rather simple take on the first tournament and see where that goes if it goes. Much like Enter the Dragon.