The road to the live-action Street Fighter movie has been anything but smooth for Legendary, with the project undergoing significant changes in recent months. After directors Danny and Michael Philippou departed last summer to focus on their film Bring Her Back, the production now has a new helm. According to Deadline, director Kitao Sakurai, known for his work on Twisted Metal and Bad Trip, has officially taken over the reins.
Sony Pictures had previously announced the movie, based on the legendary video game franchise, for a theatrical release on March 20, 2026. With Sakurai stepping in, the release date is expected to remain unchanged, although further developments may shift the timeline.
Street Fighter, which first launched in 1987 as an arcade fighting game, became a cornerstone of the gaming world, especially after the release of Street Fighter II in 1991. The series continues to captivate audiences, with Street Fighter 6 earning the title of Best Fighting Game at the 2023 Game Awards following its June 2023 release. This enduring popularity has kept the franchise in the spotlight, including through past cinematic ventures.
The original 1994 Street Fighter movie, which starred Jean-Claude Van Damme as Colonel Guile, Raúl Juliá as M. Bison, Ming-Na Wen as Chun-Li, and Kylie Minogue as Cammy, is widely recognized as one of the first live-action adaptations of a video game. Directed by Steven E. de Souza, the film was part of the early wave of video game adaptations that began with the 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie. A more recent live-action take, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, was released in 2009, starring Kristin Kreuk in the title role.
With the success of recent video game adaptations like Mortal Kombat, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Five Nights at Freddy’s, the genre is seeing a resurgence. Additionally, the long-awaited Return to Silent Hill, directed by Christophe Gans, is also in the works, although its release date remains unconfirmed.
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