The new live-action Street Fighter movie is up and running. After Talk to Me directors Danny and Michael Philippou dropped out of the movie, Bad Trip’s Kitao Sakurai is the new director. The Sony Pictures movie has a couple of actors in mind to play Ryu and Ken.
Street Fighter is one of the longest-running video game franchises out there. First making its debut in 1987 by Capcom, the Japanese media franchise follows a huge cast of fighters, like Ryu and his friend/rival Ken, competing in a global tournament.
Given the popularity of the video game series, there have been a few different movie adaptations. In 1994, Guile ended up taking the lead instead of Ryu and Ken, played by Jean-Claude Van Damme. While the action film received negative reviews for its over-the-top special effects, unfaithful to the video games, and campiness, the performance of Raul Julia, who played General M. Bison, received praise in his final role before his death.
There was also 2009’s Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li with Smallville’s Kristin Kreuk as the lead. With a darker story, this video game adaptation was also panned for similar reasons as the 1994 version for straying away from its source material, and not being happy with the plot.
So far, the most faithful adaptation — even with its numerous liberties — has been the 1994 animated version. Directed by Gisaburō Sugii with animation from Group TAC, the edgy and provocative anime was a commercial success. It grossed $29 million on a $6 million budget, and would go on to become a beloved part of the Street Fighter fandom.
Who is playing Ryu and Ken in the new Street Fighter movie?
Unlike the previous live-action Street Fighter movies, the upcoming flick will feature Ryu and Ken. As for who will take on the iconic roles, Nexus Point News has mentioned its first cast members.
Andrew Koji, known for Warrior and Snake Eyes, is in talks to play Ryu. The title character is a dedicated Ansatsuken karate fighter traveling the world for worthy opponents. The Recruit’s Noah Centineo is in talks to play Ken, Ryu’s best friend and rival. His confident personality to be the best comes with his fast-paced, aggressive fighting style.
Critics may have panned the original two live-action Street Fighter movies. But hopefully, the third time’s the charm for its newest adaptation. And if not, hey — there’s always the anime.
