The hadouken heard around the world just dropped. A teaser trailer has been released for the new Street Fighter live-action film, featuring Chun-Li, Ken, Ryu, and an impressive roster of characters from the beloved video game franchise.
The trailer made its explosive debut during the 2025 Game Awards, where the film’s star-studded cast took the stage to introduce the first look at the highly anticipated movie. For fans who’ve been waiting decades for a faithful adaptation of Capcom’s legendary fighting game series, this might finally be the one.
A 1993 Setting and High-Stakes Tournament
The new Street Fighter movie is set in 1993, placing it squarely in the era when the franchise dominated arcades worldwide. According to the official synopsis: “Estranged Street Fighters Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) are thrown back into combat when the mysterious Chun-Li (Callina Liang) recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament: a brutal clash of fists, fate and fury. But behind this battle royale lies a deadly conspiracy that forces them to face off against each other and the demons of their past. And if they don’t, it’s game over!”
The premise promises both the tournament action fans expect and the deeper character exploration that could elevate this adaptation beyond previous attempts.
An Absolutely Stacked Cast
The casting for Street Fighter reads like a fever dream of genre icons, professional wrestlers, comedians, and martial arts specialists. Here’s the full lineup:
- Andrew Koji as Ryu
- Noah Centineo as Ken Masters
- Callina Liang as Chun-Li
- Cody Rhodes as Guile
- Orville Peck as Vega
- 50 Cent as Balrog
- Jason Momoa as Blanka
- Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalsim
- Oliver Richters as Zangief
- Hirooki Goto as E. Honda
- David Dastmalchian as M. Bison
- Roman Reigns as Akuma
- Andrew Schulz as Dan Hibiki
- Eric André as Don Sauvage
- Mel Jarnson as Cammy
- Rayna Vallandingham as Juli
- Alexander Volkanovski as Joe
The eclectic mix of talent suggests the filmmakers are aiming for something bold and unconventional. Jason Momoa as the feral Blanka? Country music icon Orville Peck as the masked narcissist Vega? Wrestling superstars Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns as Guile and Akuma? This isn’t your typical video game adaptation casting approach.
Creative Team and Production
Street Fighter is directed by Kitao Sakurai from a screenplay by Dalan Musson. Legendary co-produced the film with Japanese video game developer Capcom, ensuring the source material’s integrity remains intact. Paramount Pictures is distributing the film, giving it a major theatrical push.
The collaboration between Legendary and Capcom is particularly promising. Having the original game developer directly involved in production suggests a level of authenticity and attention to detail that previous Street Fighter adaptations often lacked.
A Fresh Take on a Gaming Icon
Street Fighter has had a complicated relationship with live-action adaptations. The 1994 film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Raul Julia has achieved cult status but remains divisive among fans. The 2009 film Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li was critically panned and quickly forgotten.
This new adaptation appears to be learning from past mistakes. The 1993 setting embraces the franchise’s golden era, the diverse cast suggests each character will receive proper representation, and the conspiracy-thriller elements hint at a more sophisticated narrative approach.
Mark Your Calendars
Street Fighter hits theaters on October 16, 2026, giving fans plenty of time to brush up on their quarter-circle forward motions and prepare for what could be the definitive live-action take on this iconic franchise.
With a cast this wild, a creative team willing to take risks, and Capcom’s direct involvement, this Street Fighter adaptation might finally deliver the knockout punch fans have been waiting for. Game on.
