Street Fighter movie brings Ryu and Ken back to theaters with WWE stars in tow

A new Street Fighter live-action movie hit theaters on October 16, 2026, directed by Kitao Sakurai. It's set in 1993 and follows the World Warrior Tournament storyline, mixing live action with 2D animated sequences that handle backstory and flashbacks.

Andrew Koji plays Ryu and Noah Centineo is Ken Masters. The rest of the cast reads like a dream for fans who grew up on action figures and Saturday night pay-per-view: David Dastmalchian as M. Bison, Callina Liang as Chun-Li, Jason Momoa as Blanka, Curtis '50 Cent' Jackson as Balrog, WWE's Cody Rhodes as Guile, and Joe 'Roman Reigns' Anoai as Akuma. Legendary and Capcom produced it.

The WWE crossover doesn't stop at casting. Rhodes and Reigns bring real physicality to their roles, which makes sense given the franchise has always been about larger-than-life fighters throwing down in exotic locales.

What reviewers are saying

Opinions are all over the map. Some reviews praise the fight choreography and call it a fun, action-packed ride that nails the arcade energy. Others say the editing is messy, the storytelling incoherent, and the narrative falls apart between punches.

If you're the type who can overlook a thin plot for solid martial arts sequences and nostalgic set pieces, this might work for you. If you need a tight script and clear character arcs, you'll probably leave frustrated.

Worth your time?

It depends what you want. The cast is stacked, the 1993 setting taps into the era when Street Fighter II ruled arcades, and the 2D animation touches are a nice nod to the source material. But the mixed reviews suggest this is more spectacle than substance.

If you've got a free evening and you're craving some mindless fight scenes with a side of nostalgia, grab a ticket. If you're hoping for the definitive Street Fighter adaptation, maybe wait for streaming.