MANILA, Philippines — Paramount Pictures Philippines opened the new live-action Street Fighter movie in cinemas across the country this week, and early reviews suggest the fighting game franchise has finally scored a proper adaptation after three decades of misses.
Directed by Japanese American filmmaker Kitao Sakurai and produced by Legendary Entertainment, the film is set in the early 1990s and follows Ryu and Ken, former training partners under Master Gouken, as they reunite to face the Shadaloo dictator M. Bison and his second World Warrior tournament. According to the Inquirer, which reviewed the film on October 17, 2026, the movie is “THE fighting game movie and love letter that fans and newcomers must see.”
Why this Street Fighter adaptation finally works
Capcom launched Street Fighter as an arcade title in 1987, but it was 1991's Street Fighter II that turned the series into a global phenomenon and effectively invented the modern fighting game genre. Nearly forty years later, the franchise is on its sixth mainline installment, Street Fighter 6, and remains a household name among Filipino gamers, from Manila arcades to provincial internet cafés.
Past attempts to bring the series to the big screen failed badly. The 1994 film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme disappointed fans, and 2009's The Legend of Chun-Li flopped at the box office. The rights then sat in limbo for years before Legendary picked them up.
This time, the filmmakers leaned into what made the games fun: the special moves. The Inquirer's review notes that audiences will see Ryu shout “HADOUKEN!” and launch a fireball, Ken deliver his “SHORYUKEN!” uppercut, Chun-Li hit her “Spinning Bird Kick,” and M. Bison power up his “Psycho Crusher.”
Who's in the cast?
Andrew Koji, known for his martial arts background, plays Ryu, while Noah Centineo takes on Ken Masters. Callina Liang trained extensively to portray Chun-Li, described in the games as the strongest woman in the world. The supporting roster includes David Dastmalchian, Mel Jarnson, rapper 50 Cent, Andrew Schultz, Olivier Richters, Eric Andre, Jason Momoa, and WWE stars Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns.
The Manila Bulletin, in its October 16 review, singled out the character designs as “spot on,” with special praise for Dhalsim, played by Vidyut Jammwal, and Blanka, played by Jason Momoa. The Bulletin wrote that viewers hoping to see the game's elements on screen “will not be disappointed.”
Anime flashbacks and fan cameos
Although the film is mostly live-action, it includes anime-style flashback sequences created by Titmouse Animation. The Inquirer reports these scenes pay direct homage to the 1994 Street Fighter II animated movie, which also centered on the bond between Ryu and Ken.
The film also winks at the 1994 live-action movie and features cameos from influential members of the fighting game community, including streamers Maximillian Dood, IFC Yipes, and Justin Wong, famous among Filipino gamers for “Evo Moment 37,” the legendary Daigo parry.
Do critics agree with the fans?
Not entirely.