Street Fighter (2026): Cast, Reviews, Box Office and Ending Explained
Street Fighter has been a video game for almost 40 years and a bad movie for most of them. The 1994 Jean-Claude Van Damme film is a cult joke, and 2009's The Legend of Chun-Li was worse. Legendary's new version, directed by Kitao Sakurai, is the most expensive and most faithful attempt yet: a loud, colourful 1990s tournament movie with most of the Street Fighter II roster in it.
Critics don't think it's good, exactly. Most do think it's the best Street Fighter movie so far, which tells you how low the bar was. Here's who's in it, what it's about, what the reviews say and what happens at the end.
What is Street Fighter about?
The film is set in 1993. Six years earlier, Ryu won the first World Warrior tournament, and his win came at a terrible cost: it woke the demon Akuma, who killed Ryu's mentor. Now the dictator M. Bison is hosting a second tournament, and Interpol agent Chun-Li needs fighters on the inside. She recruits Ryu and his estranged friend Ken Masters, and the two have to put their falling-out aside long enough to find out what Bison really wants with the world's best fighters.
It's built for fans of the games. Most of the Street Fighter II roster turns up, the fighters use their signature moves, and the flashbacks are animated.
Street Fighter cast and characters
Andrew Koji (Warrior, Bullet Train) plays Ryu and Noah Centineo plays Ken, and early reactions singled them out as the pairing that works. Callina Liang is Chun-Li, and Jason Momoa, who is also a producer, plays the green-skinned Blanka. David Dastmalchian's M. Bison is the villain, and one of the performances critics enjoyed most.
The rest of the roster is a mix of wrestlers, fighters and comedians. WWE's Roman Reigns is Akuma and Cody Rhodes is Guile; 50 Cent is the boxer Balrog; Orville Peck is Vega; Olivier Richters is Zangief; Hirooki Goto is E. Honda; Mel Jarnson is Cammy; and UFC star Alexander Volkanovski plays Joe. Andrew Schulz and Eric André handle the comedy as Dan Hibiki and Don Sauvage.
For Indian audiences, the big one is Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalsim, the yoga master who breathes fire and stretches his limbs across the screen. It's the action star's first major Hollywood studio film, and the role he's playing is one of the most recognisable Indian characters in gaming.
Street Fighter reviews
“A jumbled tonal mess that feels deadly serious one moment and like parody the next.”
The reviews split along one line: the parts that look like Street Fighter, and the parts that have to tell a story. The fights are well staged, with most characters getting at least one signature move, and the animated flashback sequences are the most praised thing in the film. GamesRadar+ said the movie "shines" in them. Critics also liked the bright, comic-book look and Dastmalchian's Bison.
The script is where it falls apart. Critics found the plot overstuffed and the jokes flat, and several were frustrated by an ending that's more set-up than finale; The Playlist called it "barely a complete movie". The kindest verdicts land on the same point: for fans of the games, it's fun, and it's the best Street Fighter film by default.
Street Fighter box office
Street Fighter opens in about 3,300 cinemas in North America this weekend, and tracking puts its opening somewhere between $25 million and $40 million. That could make it the weekend's No. 1 film, but against a reported $82 million budget, plus marketing, it will need strong word of mouth and a big international run to make money. We'll update this section with the actual opening weekend figures on Monday.
Street Fighter ending and credits scene explained
⚠ How Street Fighter ends (full spoilers)Show spoilers
Bison's tournament is a trap. He takes Ryu prisoner and tries to drain his power, and in the chaos Akuma returns. Pushed to the edge, Ryu gives in to his dark side and becomes Evil Ryu. It's Ken who brings him back, hitting his friend with a Hadouken of his own, which also seals the repair of their friendship.
The heroes win the battle but not the war. Bison escapes with the defeated Akuma, and the fighters walk away from Shadaloo knowing he'll be back.
There's one extra scene, partway through the credits, and nothing at the very end. It's animated and wordless: Sagat, the fighter Ryu wounded in the opening flashback, is back on his feet, and Bison comes to recruit him. Fans of the games will know exactly what that sets up.
Will there be a Street Fighter 2?
Director Kitao Sakurai has said a sequel is being written, but whether it gets made will depend on how this one does. The ending and the credits scene are both built to lead straight into one, with Bison and Sagat as the obvious villains.
Quick answers
When is Street Fighter (2026) released?
It's in cinemas from 16 October 2026, including IMAX. In India it's released the same day in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.
Who plays Dhalsim in Street Fighter?
Indian action star Vidyut Jammwal. It's his first major Hollywood studio film.
Who plays Ryu and Ken?
Andrew Koji plays Ryu and Noah Centineo plays Ken Masters.
Does Street Fighter have a post-credits scene?
There's one mid-credits scene and nothing at the very end. It's a short animated scene that sets up a sequel.
Is Street Fighter (2026) good?
Reviews are mixed to negative, at around 41% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics praise the fights and the animated flashbacks but say the story and humour don't work. Fans of the games are its most likely audience.
How long is Street Fighter?
2 hours.
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