Fans of the Street Fighter IP have long been waiting for a remake of the 1994 film, and soon enough, they will have their wish granted. I must say it is an interesting time to release the film, given we are due for a new Mortal Kombat to be released shortly as well. Kitao Sakurai is set to direct the Sony-Legendary film with a current release date for sometime next year. You may recall that Talk To Me directors Danny and Michael Philippou were initially tapped to direct, but a new director later took over.
The film is directed by Kitao Sakurai, best known for his work on Bad Trip. His irreverent, chaotic comedic style suggests the new Street Fighter movie may lean into both action and satire, offering audiences something distinct from the grittier tone of other game-to-screen adaptations.
This is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated films of 2026, but there is still no release date as of now. There are also no reports of any filming going on at the moment, which makes perfect sense seeing how every other day, a new role has been cast. The film has a massive fan base that has been loyal since the video game was first released back in 1987 and became a worldwide phenomenon. From arcade games to console releases, fans have been captivated by the one-on-one battles that happen in a tournament-style. Capcom will have their hands in the new adaptation as they are set to co-produce and co-develop the new live-action.
So what do we know at this point? Well, to be honest, not much. At this point, the only news rolling out is regarding the talent that has been cast, but that is more telling than you may think. With there already being preexisting Street Fighter films, it’s safe to assume that the creatives already know what not to do. This is one of those franchises that you have to do it right in revival, or else get trashed on socials and tank at the box office. Let’s take a look at the characters that have been cast so far.
Vidyut Jammwal: Dhalsim
Vidyut Jammwal is a megastar in India with millions of followers on social media, and he is set to make his big debut in the States. It has been mentioned before that he was extremely selective about which role would be his introduction to the U.S market, and the role of Dhalsim, the peaceful, fire-spitting yogi, is what he set his eyes on.
Hirooki Goto: E.Honda
In a film stacked with professional wrestlers, Hirooki Goto is the latest addition as he is a legend in the world of wrestling in Japan. Because of his experience, fans can expect him to add a level of authenticity to Honda, who is known for his sumo wrestling abilities.
Andrew Koji: Ryu
Andrew Koji is a perfect casting as Ryu, as he has already made a name for himself in titles like Bruce Lee’s Warrior and Bullet Train. This is one of the most important roles to cast as it sets to the tone in determining whether the casting director knew what to look for.. Ryu has always been a fan favorite as the main protagonist with his master martial arts skills, in constant search of new opponents.
Noah Centineo: Ken
Noah Centineo has long been quite popular with the girls since his To All The Boys days on Netflix. Then guys got to see him step out of the loverboy image in Black Adam and The Recruit. Now he lands the protagonist role of Ken as Ryu’s nemesis, which should lead to some great fight sequences (if you recall, they both were trained by the same master).
Callina Liang: Chun-Li
The only woman who has been cast so far, Callina Liang joins the team as the legendary Chun-Li, a master of kung-fu who is one of the most popular video game characters of all time (Nicki Minaj has a whole song named after her). With her set out for revenge against M. Bison for the murder of her father, this should make for some phenomenal scenes with David Dastmalchian, as he has been tapped to play Bison. Ming-Na Wen originally played Chun-Li in the 1994 Street Fighter film, establishing a cultural benchmark for the character
David Dastmalchian: M. Bison
David Dastmalchian has been everywhere lately, and his latest casting as the antagonist, M. Bison, further strengthens his resume. Starring as the leader of the Shadaloo, he is determined to become a dictator and is the symbol for pure evil in the franchise. With Dastmalchian’s unique look and strong acting abilities, his inclusion in Street Fighter makes him a solid addition to the already powerful cast.
Cody Rhodes: Guile
In what was surely a surprising casting, Cody Rhodes is locked into playing Guile, the Air Force pilot also looking to get at M. Bison. The role was previously played by the iconic Jean-Claude Van Damme back in 1994, and it was said he was selected for the role to better appeal to audiences in the US. The press tour is sure to give us some fun moments if he is paired with his fellow WWE member, Roman Reigns.
Jason Momoa: Blanka
Jason Momoa continues to lock in big roles post-Aquaman, such as Lobo in the upcoming Supergirl: World of Tomorrow and now as Blanka in Street Fighter. His transformation for this should be a sight to see as the character dons greenskin and orange hair to pair with his electric abilities.
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson: Balrog
50 Cent landing the role of Balrog was a surprise, but given the rest of the cast, it seems the team is hellbent on finding the perfect fits. Jackson is tapped to play Balrog, the champion boxer under Shadaloo who has similarities to real-life champ, Mike Tyson (fun fact: the character was once called Mike Bison, but it was later changed to avoid any lawsuits)
Orville Peck: Vega
Country megastar Orville Peck is known to wear a mask in public, which will translate well to his new role as he will play the masked Vega in his acting debut. Vega is a bullfighter who is one of the final bosses that a player must defeat to win, so this could be one of the bigger roles, more so towards the end of the film, if it plays out like the game.
Andrew Schulz: Dan Hibiki
Comedian and podcaster Andrew Schulz was a wild addition, given that this seems to take him from minimal acting to a big role outside of his comfort zone. Dan Hibiki seeks revenge against Sagat for the death of his father. Dan is depicted as somewhat of a joke, so casting a comedian seems to be a calculated move. Very curious to see how this plays out.
Roman Reigns: Akuma
WWE superstar Roman Reigns was one of the first names attached to the project, which immediately caught people’s attention and sparked interest. Playing the role of Akuma, Reigns is the perfect fit to play one of the bosses of the franchise (you may recall he was one of the secret characters in 1994’s Street Fighter II Turbo).
We are in a new age where word of mouth spreads rapidly online and can overall affect the performance of a film. There is something very interesting about the actors that have been cast: they aren’t all relatively huge names, which is a great thing. I get the feeling they are aiming to find the best fit for each role, rather than throw some big-name talent and pray for those names to draw a crowd.
