Street Fighter movie delays, cast & everything else we know

Street Fighter is gearing up for Round 2 on the big screen, but the journey has already seen some unexpected twists. From director changes to confirmed casting, here’s everything we know about the upcoming live-action movie.

Originally announced in April 2023, the new video game adaptation comes from Legendary Pictures, which secured the rights to develop both a Street Fighter movie and TV series based on Capcom’s iconic fighting franchise.

At first, the project seemed like a perfect match: Danny and Michael Philippou – the directors behind horror hit Talk to Me – were tapped to bring the story to life after creating their own viral Street Fighter short years prior.

But in June 2024, the duo stepped down due to scheduling conflicts, shifting focus to their latest A24 film Bring Her Back. Now, Bad Trip filmmaker Kitao Sakurai is in the director’s chair, and some surprising names have joined the cast. 

Street Fighter live-action movie release date delays

Capcom

When the Philippou brothers were on board, the live-action Street Fighter movie had a release date of March 20, 2026. However, this has since been delayed indefinitely. 

The news came after Sony, the distributor, removed the upcoming release from its calendar. Although there’s no official reason for the delay, it’s likely down to the new movie changing directors. 

But there’s another potential explanation: at the end of 2024, Sony and Legendary Pictures’ distribution deal came to an end and they chose not to renew it. A few months after the deal ended, Sony pulled the Street Fighter film from its schedule.

It’s unclear whether this means Sony is no longer the distributor or if Legendary will find a new partner to handle it. If you’re worried the project has been abandoned altogether, don’t fret – it’s still going ahead, with casting in full swing. 

Who’s in the cast?

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In June 2025, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson was added to the Street Fighter movie’s cast as Balrog, a disgraced boxer and longtime enforcer of the villainous Shadaloo organization.

The rapper will join Jason Momoa, who’s playing Blanka, the wild, electric-powered fighter known for his green skin, feral attacks, and tragic backstory.

You can check out the rest of the other confirmed cast members and the characters they’re playing below: 

• Callina Liang as Chun-Li
• Andrew Koji as Ryu
• Roman Reigns as Akuma
• Noah Centineo as Ken Masters
• Orville Peck as Vega

Other names that are in talks to join include Reacher’s Alan Ritchson as Guile and Andrew Koji as Ryu, although it appears the studio is yet to confirm these two just yet. More recently, sources told Deadline that Andrew Schulz has joined the cast as Dan Hibiki.

What’s it about?

Capcom

Given the movie is still in early development, no official plot details have been released, but there are plenty of clues and context to help us imagine where it might go. 

Adapting Street Fighter has always been a tricky task: the games offer rich lore and unforgettable characters, but stitching them into a cohesive narrative on screen hasn’t always worked (see the so-bad-it’s-good 1994 film, or the so-bad-its-terrible Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li).

One of the biggest challenges is tone. Street Fighter is often goofy and over-the-top, which can be tough to translate into live-action without losing the heart of the story, so getting it right requires a clear creative vision.

Recent video game adaptations like The Last of Us and Sonic the Hedgehog have shown there is a path forward if the tone matches the source material and the characters come first. 

With casting already locked for iconic fighters like Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, and Akuma, it’s likely the story will revolve around the franchise’s classic rivalries and the underground fighting tournament at the center of the games. 

Expect Shadaloo, the shadowy crime syndicate led by M. Bison, to play a central role, especially with Balrog and Vega already confirmed.

Until more is revealed, the big question is: will this be a grounded martial arts epic, a stylized tournament spectacle, or something in between? We’ll be sure to keep this post updated as and when new details emerge. 

In the meantime, check out our ranking of the best action movies ever made, the best anime live-action adaptations, and the best new movies streaming this month.