"Street Fighter," along with its parent studio Legendary, has found a fresh nest to call their own. Legendary has sealed a three-year partnership with Paramount for the distribution of its cinematic endeavors, with the Capcom video game adaptation, "Street Fighter," serving as the vanguard of this collaborative venture. Directed by Kitao Sakurai, the film is now scheduled for an exhilarating release on October 16, 2026.
Currently in production, Paramount and Legendary have unveiled the initial narrative details for this movie, which is anchored in 1993 – the year when the iconic game "Street Fighter II" revolutionized arcades. Here's the captivating new synopsis:
"It's 1993, and estranged Street Fighters Ryu (played by Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (portrayed by Noah Centineo) find themselves thrust back into battle when the enigmatic Chun-Li (Callina Liang) enlists them for the upcoming World Warrior Tournament: a ferocious showdown of punching prowess, destiny, and raw fury. However, lurking beneath this fierce competition is a sinister conspiracy that pitches them against each other and the dark specters of their past. Fail to triumph, and it's curtains – GAME OVER!"
The official announcement of the Legendary-Paramount deal, which was rumored to be in negotiations on August 18, arrives on the heels of Legendary's output agreement with Sony expiring at the end of 2024. Legendary's former ally, Warner Bros., will continue to distribute pivotal franchises, including the much-anticipated sequel to the nearly billion-dollar smash hit "A Minecraft Movie," as well as the third installment of "Dune" in 2026 and "Godzilla x Kong: Supernova" in 2027.
"Street Fighter" boasts an impressive ensemble cast, with Noah Centineo as Ken Masters, Andrew Koji as Ryu, Callina Liang as Chun-Li, Joe "Roman Reigns" Anoa'i as Akuma, David Dastmalchian as M. Bison, Cody Rhodes as Guile, Andrew Schulz as Dan Hibiki, Eric André as Don Sauvage, Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalsim, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson as Balrog, and Jason Momoa as Blanka.
The film also stars Orville Peck as Vega, Olivier Richters as Zangief, Hirooki Goto as E. Honda, Rayna Vallandingham as Juli, Alexander Volkanovski as Joe, Kyle Mooney as Marvin, and Mel Jarnson as Cammy.
"Legendary has earned a reputation for crafting ambitious films with global appeal, and we're thrilled to embark on this partnership with them," expressed Josh Greenstein, Co-chair of Paramount Pictures and Vice Chair of Platforms, alongside Dana Goldberg, Co-Chair of Paramount Pictures and Chair of Paramount Television. "Street Fighter" marks an auspicious beginning to our collaboration, one that we believe will flourish and endure."
Legendary CEO Josh Grode added, "Teaming up with David, Dana, Josh, and their respective teams at Paramount marks an exhilarating new era for Legendary as we pursue a diversified growth strategy – expanding our offerings, fostering new franchises, and crafting films that resonate with audiences worldwide. This partnership presents an extraordinary opportunity, and we eagerly anticipate collaborating closely with Paramount to bring stories that will captivate and inspire moviegoers across the globe."
This strategic move is just one of many pivotal early decisions made by David Ellison's revitalized Paramount, which has successfully wooed the "Stranger Things" creators, the Duffer Brothers, away from Netflix, secured a $7.7 billion deal for UFC rights, and signed Will Smith's Westbrook Studios to a first-look film agreement.
