The New ‘Street Fighter’ Trailer Is Straight Fire(ball)

The original Street Fighter movie from the 90s was a pretty silly action film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. It featured over-the-top costumes and a plot involving the United Nations battling the forces of M. Bison. (I actually enjoy it, but it’s definitely a bit ridiculous.)

The new Street Fighter movie is really emphasizing its connection to the classic Street Fighter II arcade game. The latest trailer hints at an actual storyline – surprisingly! – centering around a martial arts tournament. We see Ken (played by Noah Centineo) attempting to prove himself by battling opponents like sumo wrestlers and muscular Russians.

This movie isn’t really about a story; it’s a love letter to classic arcade games. It’s packed with all the familiar characters sporting their original looks and over-the-top hairstyles – a special shout-out to Cody Rhodes! – and they all perform their signature moves. Expect lots of fireballs, stretching limbs, and plenty of those iconic ‘Shoryuken!’ attacks. The entire film is filled with references that fans of the game will instantly recognize.

Will all of this add up to a great movie? We’ll find out soon! For now, you can watch the trailer below.

There are three new posters for the film as well. One for “The Good Guys”…

One for “The Bad Guys”…

And one with just the trio of leads.

Here is Street Fighter’s official synopsis:

In 1993, former friends and fighters Ryu and Ken are pulled back into the world of combat when Chun-Li asks for their help in the upcoming World Warrior Tournament. This tournament is a fierce competition filled with intense battles, but it’s also hiding a dangerous plot. Ryu and Ken will have to confront each other and their troubled histories, or face devastating consequences.

Street Fighter opens in theaters on October 16.

The 10 Worst Video Game Movies of the Last 10 Years

10. Monster Hunter

The 2020 movie Monster Hunter, based on the popular Japanese role-playing game, unfortunately doesn’t live up to its potential. While the visual effects and creature designs are impressive, the film suffers from poor editing, a basic storyline, and underdeveloped characters. Despite a cool concept and appealing designs, the movie never quite delivers on its promise, resulting in a disappointing experience. What could have been a blockbuster instead became a box office failure.

9. Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City

The Resident Evil movies were already struggling, but 2021’s Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City likely ended the franchise. While the film closely follows the video games, it falls short in almost every other aspect—the story is weak, the acting isn’t convincing, the special effects are lacking, and the movie feels rushed. It had the potential to be a fun and frightening experience, but ultimately feels unfinished and unsatisfying.

8. Until Dawn

I’ve been a huge fan of the game Until Dawn since it came out and was really looking forward to the movie adaptation. Unfortunately, it’s a big disappointment. The movie relies on tired horror tropes and excessive gore, and it completely misses what made the original game so special – its well-developed characters, genuinely frightening moments, and atmospheric winter setting. Like I said in my review, the movie just doesn’t make a lasting impression. I wish they hadn’t made it, though the creature designs are somewhat interesting.

7. The Angry Birds Movie

I went into The Angry Birds Movie expecting the worst, and honestly, it wasn’t terrible for a movie based on a phone game from ages ago. But that’s about the nicest thing I can say. It felt like the filmmakers just figured kids would laugh at anything silly, so it relied way too much on cheap gags. It had a few funny parts and kept a pretty quick pace, which was good, but overall it felt really empty and uninspired. Compared to movies like Inside Out or The Lego Movie, it just didn’t have much creativity or heart. I guess I should be thankful it wasn’t as bad as The Emoji Movie, though!

6. Doom: Annihilation

Released straight to video in 2019, Doom: Annihilation is the second film based on the Doom video game series, but it feels rushed and uninspired – like it was made simply to use the existing franchise rather than to create a genuinely fun action-horror movie. The script is poor, the dialogue is cringeworthy, the characters are bland and forgettable, and the action sequences become repetitive. References to the game feel forced and unnatural, and the film’s overall production quality is surprisingly low. In fact, it’s so poorly received that even the official Doom social media account publicly stated they had no involvement with the movie – a pretty strong indicator of its quality.

5. Borderlands

The 2024 film adaptation of the video game Borderlands was a major disappointment. Despite featuring a talented cast including Cate Blanchett, Jack Black, and Ariana Greenblatt, the movie feels surprisingly hollow. The characters are unlikeable, the humor is overly crude, and the constant chatter quickly becomes tiring. While the film is full of loud, chaotic action, it doesn’t translate into something exciting, proving that a large budget and famous actors aren’t enough to make a good movie.

4. Warcraft

The 2016 film Warcraft, based on the popular video game series, is a mixed bag. While it boasts impressive visuals, it often gets bogged down in predictable action, cheesy dialogue, and references meant only for hardcore fans. The movie prioritizes hitting familiar fantasy tropes over building compelling characters or a story that would appeal to a broader audience. Ultimately, it feels weighed down by its unoriginal plot, excessive CGI, and a script that tries to do too much. Despite its flaws, dedicated fans of the games will likely defend it, and I can appreciate their enthusiasm even if I don’t share it.

3. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter

Paul W.S. Anderson’s Resident Evil: The Final Chapter had the potential to be a grand finale, but unfortunately, it ends the original Resident Evil series on a disappointing note. Though fans of the series might enjoy the film’s action, violence, and familiar characters, its messy editing, predictable story, and unresolved plot points make it one of the weakest entries, despite aiming to be the strongest.

2. Tomb Raider

Despite its flaws and negative reviews, the 2001 Lara Croft: Tomb Raider movie with Angelina Jolie is genuinely enjoyable. The 2018 reboot, however, is a dull and easily forgotten action film. It’s particularly disappointing because it doesn’t showcase Alicia Vikander’s talent – she was fantastic in Ex Machina – and delivers a lackluster origin story that lacks the charming, over-the-top fun of the earlier film.

1. Hitman: Agent 47

Inspired by the Hitman video game series, the 2015 film Hitman: Agent 47 attempts a thrilling reboot, but ultimately falls short. While visually stylish, the movie lacks the compelling action and emotional depth of a truly great film, relying on predictable gunfights and fight scenes. It’s not a bad movie, but it’s ultimately forgettable, which is a bigger problem.

2026-04-16 16:56