Hadoukens, roundhouses, and a stacked cast: Paramount and Legendary’s live-action Street Fighter is ready to fight.

One of gaming’s most iconic fighting franchises is stepping out of the arcade and onto the big screen. Paramount Pictures and Legendary Pictures, in association with Capcom, present Street Fighter, a live-action film directed by Kitao Sakurai that promises Hadoukens, roundhouses and all of your favorite World Warriors.

Set in 1993, the film follows estranged Street Fighters Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo), who 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.

Behind the battle royale lies a deadly conspiracy that forces Ryu and Ken to face each other and the demons of their past. And if they don’t, it’s GAME OVER.

The 1993 setting is a smart nod to the franchise’s golden age, when Street Fighter II ruled arcades worldwide and turned characters like Ryu, Ken, and Chun-Li into household names.

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If there’s one thing Street Fighter fans care about, it’s the character select screen, and this cast delivers. Alongside Koji, Centineo and Liang, WWE star Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoai takes on the fearsome Akuma, while David Dastmalchian steps into the role of the villainous M. Bison. Fellow wrestler Cody Rhodes suits up as Guile, and Indian action star Vidyut Jammwal brings his martial arts pedigree to Dhalsim.

The roster keeps going. Country singer Orville Peck plays Vega, bodybuilder Olivier Richters is Zangief, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s Hirooki Goto takes on E. Honda. Mel Jarnson appears as Cammy, comedian Andrew Schulz plays Dan Hibiki, and Eric André joins as Don Sauvage. Rayna Vallandingham plays Juli, Kyle Mooney appears as Marvin, and UFC champion Alexander Volkanovski turns up as Joe.

Rounding out the lineup are Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as Balrog and Jason Momoa as Blanka. The mix of wrestling stars, elite martial artist Vidyut Jammwal, and UFC champion Alexander Volkanovski suggests the filmmakers are serious about delivering hard-hitting, physical fight choreography.

Kitao Sakurai directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with T.J. Fixman, based on a story by Dalan Musson and Gary Dauberman. Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, p.g.a., Jason Momoa, Takayuki Nakayama, and Stefan Makhoul produce the film, with JJ Hook, Jay Ashenfelter, Kenzo Tsujimoto, and Haruhiro Tsujimoto serving as executive producers. Capcom’s involvement, including the Tsujimotos, signals a production that is closely tied to the source material.

With a nostalgic setting, a deep bench of fan-favorite characters, and a cast built for combat, Street Fighter is shaping up to be a love letter to the arcade era. Fighters, get ready.

Watch the featurette conversation between Noah Centineo and Andrew Koji in “A Brotherhood Forged.” Let us know what you think.

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Source: Paramount Pictures