For the people who made Paramount Pictures’ Street Fighter, the film is about more than a franchise. Director Kitao Sakurai and stars Andrew Koji, Noah Centineo and Jason Momoa all grew up on the CAPCOM game, and say they have made the film for fans like themselves, and for everyone new.
The game was part of their childhoods in different ways. Koji was born in 1987, the year the first Street Fighter game was released, and grew up on its later versions. Centineo spent hours at his cousins’ basement arcade cabinet, always playing Blanka. Sakurai, a half-Japanese kid growing up in Ohio, says Ryu was the first fictional character he saw who reflected who he was.
For Sakurai, it began with childhood. “As a Japanese-American filmmaker, to have the honor to do Street Fighter makes me feel incredibly proud. To be able to incorporate the feelings I had as a child, to be able to bring to life the aspects of the game that as a fan, you felt in your heart, is exactly what I hope the movie captures. We’re excited that this is the most accurate Street Fighter adaptation ever made, in terms of the fighting styles, the moves, the costumes and the tone and spirit of the characters.” He believes the incredible visuals, and the soundtrack are immersive and banging.
Jason Momoa, who plays Blanka and is also a producer on the film, says the connection is just as personal. “Street Fighter will make you laugh, and cry, and have a really great time. This is my childhood. Street Fighter was everything growing up. For existing fans, and new fans, it’s such a diverse world and cast – there’s something for everyone in it.”
Andrew Koji, who plays Ryu, says the cast felt the weight of that fandom. “We all wanted to make sure that not only can we get new fans to love it, but the hardcore fans too. There are so many nods we put in there and we’re bringing a Street Fighter film that has never been done before and hopefully will be remembered for a long time to come.”
Noah Centineo, who plays Ken Masters, says the experience is made for scale. “It’s a huge movie. It is so visually stimulating that seeing that on a huge screen is the way to see it. The fights are sweaty, and bloody, you want to see that huge, and the sound design – the seats are going to shake.”
Set in 1993, estranged Street Fighters Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) 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. But behind this battle royale lies a deadly conspiracy that forces them to face off against each other and the demons of their past. And if they don’t, it’s GAME OVER!
A Legendary Pictures Production in Association with Capcom; Paramount Pictures’ Street Fighter is based on the CAPCOM Video Game. Directed by Kitao Sakurai. Produced by Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Jason Momoa, Takayuki Nakayama, Stefan Makhoul.
Paramount Pictures’ Street Fighter will release this Friday, 16 October 2026, across India in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.