Movies - Street Fighter : A First Teaser That Turns The Game Awards Into a Full-Blown World Warrior Arena

By Mulder, 12 december 2025

The 2025 Game Awards in Los Angeles had that electric atmosphere where you can feel the excitement building in the room just before something big is about to happen, and Street Fighter capitalized on that momentum perfectly by unveiling its first-ever exclusive teaser as a real highlight rather than just another online trailer. What's clever is that the reveal doesn't just say, “Here's the movie,” but instantly immerses you in the language of the franchise: anticipation, silhouettes, attitude, and instant character recognition, which usually belongs on a character selection screen. The fact that the teaser is accompanied by 17 official character posters speaks volumes, as this isn't an afterthought marketing ploy, but a statement that this reboot wants to be ensemble-focused, identity, and fans—the kind of project where people will debate for months about who looks the most accurate, who looks the most dangerous, and what small stylistic details were chosen to reassure purists while inviting newcomers.

The casting, which is the main driving force here, is designed to spark conversations among several fandoms at once. The main trio sets the tone: Andrew Koji as Ryu, Noah Centineo as Ken Masters, and Callina Liang as Chun-Li, which means the film will clearly anchor itself in the classic emotional triangle of discipline, rivalry, and mission, rather than trying to reinvent everything from scratch. Surrounding them, the cast is deliberately edgy: Joe Roman Reigns Anoa'i as Akuma immediately appears to be a screen-shaking choice, David Dastmalchian as Mr. Bison hints at a villain more complex than a simple comic book tyrant, and Cody Rhodes as Guile seems to nod to the idea that iconic poses and larger-than-life presentation are part of the DNA of this universe. Add to that Andrew Schulz as Dan Hibiki, Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalsim, Orville Peck as Vega, Olivier Richters as Zangief, Rayna Vallandingham as Juli, Mel Jarson as Cammy, and Jason Momoa as Blanka (also credited as a producer in the materials you shared), and you can see the strategy taking shape: bringing together actors with very different physiques and charisma, so that each character seems to belong to a distinct school, some designed for mythical intensity, others for pure spectacle, and still others for that perfect blend of cool and weird that has always made Street Fighter so successful.

Creatively, the fact that the framework of the project is already clearly defined is an asset: Kitao Sakurai is directing the film from a screenplay by Dalan Musson, with Mary Parent producing, and the film is positioned as a new reboot in the line of live-action adaptations, promising a fresh start rather than a simple patch on an older continuity. This is important, because Street Fighter has seen adaptations that either leaned too heavily toward vague kitsch or tried so hard to anchor the brand that they lost their sparkle. The fact that this one is being presented with a prestigious cast and a barrage of posters suggests the opposite instinct: it's not afraid to be a big pop culture creature and wants to translate the franchise's iconic archetypes (honor, obsession, ambition, ego, redemption) into something that can function as a modern martial arts blockbuster without erasing the game's personality.

The synopsis also makes a discreetly clever decision: the film is set in 1993, and this date is not just a backdrop, it's a choice of atmosphere. In 1993, everything about action narratives was a little more muscular, a little less self-aware, and that can be an asset for a property like this, because Street Fighter works best when it engages in intense drama while keeping the fights readable and the motivations bold. The plot—separated fighters Ryu and Ken Masters are brought back into combat when Chun-Li recruits them for the upcoming World Warrior tournament, with an underlying conspiracy that forces them to face each other and the demons of their past—strikes the right balance between the classic tournament structure (which audiences instinctively understand) and narrative propulsion (which a movie needs to be more than just a series of fights). It also gives the film the opportunity to play with the best kind of tension unique to the franchise: the idea that you can be both someone's brother in arms and their most dangerous mirror.

The Street Fighter franchise has always been about more than just who hits the hardest; it's about posture, identity, and the almost operatic intensity of a rival who appears at the worst possible moment. If Kitao Sakurai builds on that and Dalan Musson moves the story forward with real momentum (and not just nods to tradition), this could finally be the adaptation that understands the fundamental truth: Street Fighter isn't just a brand, it's a cultural muscle memory. You don't just recognize Ryu or Chun-Li, you recognize the feeling of a match turning, the pride of a comeback, the dread of a boss reveal, the excitement of a perfect read. And if the marketing campaign continues to unfold in this way, focused on the event + the characters' identities, the road to 2026 could become a mini-tournament for the audience: each poster, each clip, each reveal acting as a new round where the crowd decides who is already a main character, who is an unexpected choice, and who is poised to steal the show throughout the film. We hope to learn more about this film during our upcoming coverage of Cinemacon next April in Las Vegas...

Check out the posters of the main characters on our Flickr page

Synopsis : 
Set in 1993, estranged Street Fighters Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) are thrown back into combat when the mysterious Chun-Li (Callina Liang) recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament: a brutal clash of fists, fate, and fury. But behind this battle royale lies a deadly conspiracy that forces them to face off against each other and the demons of their past. And if they don’t, it’s GAME OVER.

Street Fighter
Directed by Kitao Sakurai
Written by Dalan Musson
Based on Street Fighter by Capcom
Produced by Mary Parent
Starring  Andrew Koji, Noah Centineo, Callina Liang, Joe Roman Reigns Anoa'I, David Dastmalchian, Cody Rhodes, Andrew Schulz, Eric André, Vidyut Jammwal, Curtis 50 Cent Jackson, Jason Momoa
Cinematography : Ken Seng
Edited by Luke Lynch
Production companies : Legendary Pictures, Capcom
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date October 16, 2026 (United States), 
Running time : NC