Legendary Entertainment and Paramount Pictures hope that the third time is the charm with this weekend’s release of the action film Street Fighter, the third live-action, feature-length adaptation of the video game series created by Capcom in 1987.
Universal Pictures tried its hand at it in 1994, which was commercially successful in terms of its budget but was poorly received by critics, and then 20th Century Fox got into the ring in 2009 with Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, a film that bombed with critics and at the box office. The hope is that fortunes will change in 2026, and after releasing two trailers that made the movie look promising, the new Street Fighter was unveiled at its world premiere at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, California.
With the social embargo now lifted, it’s time to find out if Street Fighter breaks its video game adaptation curse or if this latest iteration gets KO’d right out of the gate.
What Are The First Reactions Saying?
The first reactions to Street Fighter are mostly positive, with most saying the film is campy, fun, and nostalgic not only for fans of the games, but also for fans of over-the-top action films of the ’80s that the movie is clearly homaging in its execution. A lot of the reactions say there are plenty of callbacks to the games and that the film has a great sense of humor that shows that it’s not trying to take itself too seriously. The cast is also receiving top-notch notices, with most of them calling out Noah Centineo (Ken), Andrew Koji (Ryu), and Callina Liang (Chun-Li) as standouts.
The movie’s color-saturated palette adds to the film’s overall aesthetic according to other notices and only adds to its throwback vibe, which channels the looks of the ’90s (completely with a bangin’ soundtrack) without completely falling into standard cheesiness. The fight scenes are also getting respect, and it appears the film doesn’t let up in that regard once it gets started. On the more critical side, some reactions say the film doesn’t always know what it wants to be, as it does engage in campiness but also tries to be something a bit more substantial. It’s also accused of losing the plot at times, and that the action, while good, can get repetitive as it moves along. There are also some complaints about the film’s third act, which some say isn’t as strong as the first two.
That being said, it looks like this Street Fighter mostly gets it right and redeems the IP on the big screen. You can check out more of the first reactions below!
What Is Street Fighter About?
Directed by Kitao Sakurai and from a screenplay by Sakurai and T.J. Fixman, Street Fighter, with story credit to Dalan Musson and Gary Dauberman, is based on Capcom’s video game series. Set in 1993, the film follows Ryu and Ken Masters (Koji and Centineo), who are recruited by Chun-Li (Liang) to compete in the next World Warrior Tournament. However, the duo will be forced to face each other and their demons as they engage in a fight to the finish. The film also stars Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i, David Dastmalchian, Cody Rhodes, Eric Andre, Andrew Schulz, Vidyut Jammwal, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, and Jason Momoa.
Danny and Michael Philippou, of Talk to Me and Bring Her Back fame, were initially announced as directors of the film after Legendary Entertainment acquired the live-action film and television rights in 2023, but they ultimately dropped out in June 2024. Sakurai joined the project the following February, with filming beginning in August 2025.
Good reviews will go a long way to help Street Fighter. Pre-sales are said to be moving a tad bit slower than Mortal Kombat II, which opened to $38.5 million back in May. That was deemed a disappointment by some, as that film was tracking to open as high as $50 million. Street Fighter carries a budget said to be between $100-$120 million, so a strong start domestically and overseas is necessary to deem this one a hit.
Street Fighter hits screens nationwide this Friday.
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