We currently live in a world where video game movie and TV adaptations have finally, in most people’s estimation, reached their peak. HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us broke ratings records; the Sonic the Hedgehog movies made all kinds of money. And hell, even the 30-year stink of Nintendo’s Super Mario Bros. live-action movie has given way to what looks to be a pretty excellent animated film. Another franchise with a bad 1990s movie will soon get a similar reprieve. In 2023, we learned that Legendary obtained exclusive live-action film and TV rights to Capcom’s Street Fighter franchise. What’s more, a Street Fighter movie is on the way from Legendary and Sony. The Street Fighter movie will release in 2026.
According to Deadline, the movie lost its original set of directors, Danny and Michael Philippou, who created the popular A24 horror movie, Talk to Me. The publication additionally reports there is no word yet on the Street Fight movie’s plot.
Legendary will co-develop and produce this Street Fighter movie with Sony and Capcom, and Legendary and Capcom will work together on any future titles. Capcom has had success with the Resident Evil movie franchise, though those aren’t particularly faithful to the games. Legendary, meanwhile, saw success with its live-action Pokémon Detective Pikachu movie in 2019.
One of the highest-grossing video game franchises in history, Street Fighter all but invented the fighting game as we know it today. From 1987, the games have introduced and perfected a particular kind of superpowered brawler and introduced memorable and beloved characters like Ryu, Chun-Li, and Guile. Dozens of anime adaptations grew the game’s lore and roster, showcasing a global fight tournament against the evil M. Bison.
A 1994 live-action adaptation starring Jean-Claude Van Damme didn’t quite live up to anybody’s expectations, but is still fun if you’re into that particular mood. We can’t wait to hear more about this Street Fighter movie as it develops.
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Kyle Anderson is the Senior Editor for Nerdist. You can find his film and TV reviews here. Follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd.