Some games are simply meant to feel larger than life.
With Street Fighter, that means bone-crunching battles, unmistakable characters, explosive moves and a world that generations of players already know by heart. Now, the iconic fighting game is stepping into cinemas once again, this time with a cast and creative team determined to deliver something both longtime fans and first-time audiences can enjoy.
Led by Andrew Koji as Ryu and Noah Centineo as Ken, the new Street Fighter brings together an impressive ensemble that includes Jason Momoa as Blanka, WWE superstar Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i as Akuma and David Dastmalchian as Lord M. Bison.
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For the actors and filmmakers behind the movie, however, this is more than another game adaptation. It is a chance to bring the energy, personality and spectacle of Street Fighter to the big screen in a way they believe audiences have not seen before.
Roman Reigns Says the Movie Builds a World Audiences Can Get Lost In
Stepping into the role of Akuma is Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i, whose commanding presence makes him a natural fit for one of the franchise’s most intimidating fighters.
For Anoa’i, one of the movie’s biggest strengths is the way it expands the world fans already love.
We’ve done properly what hasn’t been done before – fleshing out a world that so many people of all ages know and love, he says.
There’s that escapism. You can leave everything behind and get lost in this universe, and we’ve put that on film. Audiences are going to immerse themselves in this world of Street Fighter.
It is that sense of scale and escapism that the cast repeatedly points to when talking about the movie. Rather than simply recreating familiar images from the games, the film aims to make audiences feel as though they have stepped directly into its universe.
Andrew Koji Wants Hardcore Fans and Newcomers to Feel Welcome
For Andrew Koji, taking on the role of Ryu came with a major responsibility.
The character is one of the most recognizable figures in gaming history, and Koji says the filmmakers were conscious of making a movie that could satisfy devoted players while remaining accessible to newcomers.
We all wanted to make sure that not only can we get new fans to love it, but the hardcore fans too, says Andrew Koji, who plays Ryu. There are so many nods we put in there and we’re bringing a Street Fighter film that has never been done before and hopefully will be remembered for a long time to come.
That balance is crucial for a franchise with decades of history behind it. Fans know the moves, rivalries, costumes and personalities intimately, which means every detail matters.
At the same time, Street Fighter is aiming to introduce its colorful universe to audiences who may have never picked up the game.
Noah Centineo Says Street Fighter Should Be Seen Big
While Koji embodies the disciplined Ryu, Noah Centineo takes on the role of Ken, one of the franchise’s most popular and recognizable characters.
And if Centineo has one recommendation for audiences, it is simple: see the movie on the biggest screen possible.
It’s a huge movie. It is so visually stimulating that seeing that on a huge screen is the way to see it, he says.
The fights are sweaty, and bloody, you want to see that huge, and the sound design – the seats are going to shake. Street Fighter is one of those movies that should be seen in an IMAX theater.
For a franchise built around spectacular combat, that theatrical scale makes sense.
Every punch, kick and special move is designed to land with maximum impact, while the movie’s sound design and visuals push the experience beyond what audiences can get from a smaller screen.
David Dastmalchian Promises Action, Comedy and Plenty of Surprises
David Dastmalchian, meanwhile, takes on the villainous role of Lord M. Bison.
Known for bringing intensity and unpredictability to his performances, Dastmalchian teases a movie that refuses to settle into just one tone.
The high-octane action and adventure, the fighting, the comedy, the brutal stuff that is going to just totally shock people, says the actor.
And the performances, the design. Street Fighter is going to feel like a roller coaster, and I can’t wait to see what people look like as the rollercoaster comes in for landing.
That combination of larger-than-life action and humor is an important part of the franchise’s appeal.
After all, Street Fighter has always thrived on contrast. Its fighters can be serious, eccentric, intimidating or wildly theatrical, sometimes all within the same match.
Bringing that spirit to a feature film means embracing both the spectacle and the fun.
Jason Momoa Calls Street Fighter Part of His Childhood
For Jason Momoa, the project is personal.
Momoa not only appears in the movie as Blanka, he also serves as a producer, giving him a role both in front of and behind the camera.
Street Fighter will make you laugh, and cry, and have a really great time, he says.
This is my childhood. Street Fighter was everything growing up. For existing fans, and new fans, it’s such a diverse world and cast – there’s something for everyone in it.
That connection to the games is shared by several members of the team, helping give the adaptation a sense of genuine affection for the source material.
Momoa’s comments also point to the movie’s broader ambition. It is not only trying to reproduce familiar characters and moves. It wants audiences to become emotionally invested in them, too.
Director Kitao Sakurai Brings a Lifelong Fan’s Perspective
At the center of the production is director Kitao Sakurai, who grew up with the games himself.
For Sakurai, making Street Fighter carried both personal and cultural significance.
As a Japanese-American filmmaker, to have the honor to do Street Fighter makes me feel incredibly proud, he says
To be able to incorporate the feelings I had as a child, to be able to bring to life the aspects of the game that as a fan, you felt in your heart, is exactly what I hope the movie captures.
That emotional connection also shaped the film’s approach to authenticity.
According to Sakurai, the production paid close attention to the elements fans immediately associate with Street Fighter, from fighting styles and costumes to signature moves and character personalities.
We’re excited that this is the most accurate Street Fighter adaptation ever made, in terms of the fighting styles, the moves, the costumes and the tone and spirit of the characters, he says.
And I hope people go see it in IMAX or other premium exhibition formats, for the incredible visuals, and the soundtrack where these needle drops are immersive and banging.
A Street Fighter Movie Made for the Cinema
There is no shortage of pressure when adapting a game as beloved as Street Fighter.
Fans arrive with decades of memories, favorite characters and expectations. New audiences, meanwhile, need a reason to care about a world they may be experiencing for the first time.
The cast and filmmakers seem well aware of that challenge.
Their answer is to go bigger.
Bigger fights. Bigger personalities. Bigger visuals. Bigger sound.
And beneath all that spectacle is a clear affection for the franchise that inspired it.
Whether you grew up mastering combos at the arcade or are meeting Ryu, Ken, Blanka and Akuma for the first time, Street Fighter wants to offer the kind of energetic, crowd-pleasing experience that feels right at home in a packed cinema.
Street Fighter is now showing in cinemas nationwide, including IMAX. Distributed locally by Paramount Pictures PH.
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