How Jon Bernthal’s Akuma and Noah Centineo’s Ken Could Break Street Fighter’s Fan Loyalty
The 2026 Street Fighter film is the third live-action adaptation, following the 1994 original starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as Guile and the 2009 flop The Legend of Chun-Li featuring Kristin Kreuk and Taboo. Director Kitao Sakurai and writer T.J. Fixman are leaning into a ’90s neon-noir aesthetic, blending anime flashbacks with hard-hitting pop music to avoid the tone of past failures. WWE’s Roman Reigns plays Akuma, UFC’s Cody Rhodes is Guile, and WWE’s Oliver Richters is Zangief—real-life fighters who may appeal to action fans but could frustrate Street Fighter purists. Noah Centineo (Ken) and Andrew Koji (Ryu) are the only returning actors from every main game, but their casting risks backlash from fans who prefer the original voice actors such as Byron Mann as Ryu in 1994. Callina Liang’s Chun-Li replaces past live-action versions (Ming-Na Wen, Kristin Kreuk), while David Dastmalchian’s M. Bison and Orville Peck’s Vega (masked as Reigns’ real-life persona) add star power but may feel tonally mismatched. The film’s plot juggles multiple storylines—Ryu’s missing-person arc, Ken’s redemption, Chun-Li’s revenge, and Bison’s power grab—mirroring the game’s complexity but risking narrative overload. A 2026 Mashable review called the movie ‘a blast’ despite its crowded plot, praising its ’90s lustiness and lack of self-importance—a stark contrast to Mortal Kombat II’s critical drubbing. The 1994 Street Fighter film was a modest success, while The Legend of Chun-Li (2009) bombed, proving the franchise’s live-action history is a mixed bag. The film’s anime-style flashbacks and neon visuals aim to evoke the game’s arcade roots, but whether they’ll satisfy fans who grew up with the games’ deeper lore remains an open question. Akuma’s casting as a WWE superstar (Reigns) could polarize fans: some may love the crossover appeal, while others may see it as a betrayal of the character’s dark, mystical origins. The film’s budget and marketing haven’t been disclosed, but its star-studded cast (including Jameela Jamil as Cammy) suggests a high-stakes gamble on spectacle over fidelity. Unlike Super Mario Bros. (2023), which faced backlash for straying from the games’ charm, Street Fighter’s reboot embraces its ’90s setting as a strength, not a weakness. The original Street Fighter (1987) game’s arcade roots and the 1994 film’s Jean-Claude Van Damme casting show the franchise’s history of blending action stars with gaming lore. Fans of the games’ deep lore (e.g., Ryu’s Hadouken, Chun-Li’s Spinning Bird Kick) may critique the film’s action choreography, but Sakurai’s martial arts background could mitigate concerns. The film’s success hinges on whether it can satisfy both casual moviegoers (drawn by the stars) and hardcore fans (who demand authenticity).
The World Warrior Tournament’s Expanded Roster and Its ’90s Tournament Roots
The 2026 *Street Fighter* film’s narrative hinges on the **World Warrior Tournament II**, a direct callback to the original 1987 arcade game’s **World Warrior Tournament**, which first introduced Ryu, Ken, and Chun-Li. According to *Variety* (2026), the film’s plot explicitly frames this event as a sequel to the first tournament, where Ryu emerged victorious—a detail that ties the live-action adaptation to the franchise’s foundational lore. The inclusion of **Balrog (Curtis “50 Sent” Jackson)**, **Dhalsim (Vidyut Jammwal)**, and **E. Honda (Hirooki Goto)** in the tournament roster mirrors the original game’s lineup, reinforcing the film’s commitment to the ’90s aesthetic while expanding it with modern star power. Unlike past adaptations, which often streamlined the cast, this film embraces the breadth of the *Street Fighter* universe, much like the arcade game’s open-ended structure.
The tournament’s expanded roster—now featuring **real-life fighters like Cody Rhodes (Guile) and UFC’s Hirooki Goto (E. Honda)**—blends the franchise’s martial arts pedigree with Hollywood spectacle. *Variety* notes that **Guile’s casting as a former military operative** aligns with his in-game backstory as a U.S. Air Force officer, while **Zangief (Olivier Richters)** retains his Soviet strongman persona from the games. The film’s flashbacks to the **1986 World Warrior Tournament** (as mentioned in the *Mashable* review) serve as a narrative anchor, grounding the story in the franchise’s origins while allowing for modern reinterpretations. This approach risks overwhelming casual viewers with lore, but it also caters to hardcore fans who recognize the tournament’s significance in the series’ history.
The film’s decision to include **Vega (Orville Peck)**, whose masked identity mirrors his in-game persona, adds another layer of intrigue. According to *Variety*, Peck’s real-life wrestling background—like Roman Reigns’—could translate into a more physically imposing portrayal, though his character’s flamboyant, villainous traits remain intact. Meanwhile, **Chun-Li’s (Callina Liang) secret mission** ties directly to her *Street Fighter II* origins, where she sought revenge against M. Bison for her father’s death. The *Mashable* review highlights how her backstory is explored through **anime-style flashbacks**, a stylistic choice that aligns with the film’s ’90s neon-noir tone while paying homage to the games’ visual design. By weaving these elements together, the film balances nostalgia with fresh storytelling, though purists may critique its deviations from the games’ deeper character arcs.
WWE and UFC Stars Clash with Martial Arts Purists Over Character Authenticity
Martial arts purists may take issue with the casting of **WWE superstar Roman Reigns as Akuma**, a character whose lore revolves around dark mysticism and a tragic past tied to Gouken’s death. According to *Variety* (2026), Akuma’s in-game design—including his skeletal appearance, demonic aura, and connection to the Satsui no Hado (the “Darkness Within”)—contrasts sharply with Reigns’ real-life persona as a dominant WWE champion. While the film leans into Akuma’s villainous role as a power-hungry antagonist, some fans argue that Reigns’ physicality and wrestling background may overshadow the character’s philosophical depth. The *Mashable* review (2026) notes that the movie embraces spectacle over subtlety, which could alienate those who view Akuma as a tragic figure rather than a brute-force villain.
Similarly, **Cody Rhodes’ casting as Guile**—a character defined by his military precision and tactical genius—raises eyebrows among purists. Rhodes, a former WWE world champion and UFC fighter, brings real-world combat experience, but his wrestling background may clash with Guile’s in-game portrayal as a disciplined U.S. Air Force officer. *Variety* highlights that Rhodes’ real-life persona as a “World’s Greatest Wrestler” could unintentionally dilute Guile’s strategic, almost cerebral approach to combat. Meanwhile, **Oliver Richters as Zangief**, a character known for his brute strength and Soviet heritage, may feel more authentic given Richters’ background as a former MMA fighter and WWE performer. However, the film’s decision to cast real-life athletes—rather than dedicated martial artists—risks undermining the franchise’s reputation for technical precision.
The inclusion of **UFC stars like Hirooki Goto as E. Honda** adds another layer of tension. While Goto’s real-life sumo wrestling background aligns with Honda’s in-game persona, his UFC fame may overshadow the character’s comedic, larger-than-life traits. The *Mashable* review suggests that the film’s action sequences—choreographed by Sakurai—prioritize flashy spectacle over traditional martial arts discipline, which could frustrate fans who value the games’ technical accuracy. For example, **Balrog (Curtis “50 Sent” Jackson)**, a character known for his relentless, no-holds-barred fighting style, may feel more at home in a wrestling ring than in a *Street Fighter*-style tournament. The film’s blending of Hollywood action stars with the franchise’s martial arts roots thus risks pleasing neither hardcore fans nor casual viewers seeking pure spectacle.
Sources
- ‘Street Fighter’ Cast Guide: All the WWE Stars, UFC Champs and Celebs Playing Video Game Fighters in the Live-Action Movie
- Street Fighter (disambiguation)
- 'Street Fighter' review: What if it's giving Super Mario Bros. live-action, but I love that?
Photo: Carl Raw / Unsplash (Unsplash License)
