The Game Awards turned into a full-on fight night Thursday when most of the cast of the upcoming “Street Fighter” live-action movie stormed the stage to debut the film’s first official trailer. And let’s just say: this movie is absolutely not coming to play.
The teaser is chaotic in the best way. It’s bold, humorous, and packed with so many character introductions that you’ll lose count before the halfway mark. What immediately stands out is the film’s playful, tongue-in-cheek tone. Even Guile—played by reigning WWE Champion Cody Rhodes—steps in with the towering flat-top and lands a pitch-perfect flash kick straight out of the arcade days.
Visually, the film leans fully into nostalgia. The color palette mirrors the bright, punchy look of Street Fighter II, the 1991 classic that defined a generation. And with the movie officially set in 1993, the teaser makes it clear: this adaptation is embracing the big, the bold, and the silly with zero shame. And honestly? That’s exactly the kind of “Street Fighter” movie audiences have been waiting for.
During the Game Awards presentation, the cast not only dropped the trailer—they also joked about the Mortal Kombat 2 cast for not pulling up. A little friendly fighting-game rivalry never hurt anyone.
Official Synopsis
According to the studio, the story follows estranged fighters Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo), who are pulled back into the arena when the mysterious Chun-Li (Callina Liang) recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament. But this isn’t just fists and footwork—there’s a darker conspiracy underneath the spectacle, one that forces Ryu and Ken to confront each other and the demons they’ve been running from.
If they fail? “It’s game over.”
The Stacked Ensemble Cast
- Andrew Koji as Ryu
- Noah Centineo as Ken Masters
- Callina Liang as Chun-Li
- Cody Rhodes as Guile
- Roman Reigns as Akuma
- David Dastmalchian as M. Bison
- Jason Momoa as Blanka
- Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalsim
- Olivier Richters as Zangief
- Orville Peck as Vega
- Hirooki Goto as E. Honda
- Andrew Schulz as Dan Hibiki
- Eric André as Don Sauvage
- Mel Jarnson as Cammy
- Rayna Vallandingham as Juli
- Alexander Volkanovski as Joe
- Kyle Mooney as Marvin
- Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as Balrog
This marks one of Paramount’s biggest swings since its recent studio revamp, co-produced alongside Legendary and Capcom. It’s also a major statement from director Kitao Sakurai, whose off-kilter comedic roots (Bad Trip, The Eric Andre Show) are unmistakably baked into the film’s energy.
The trailer even teases the film’s offbeat humor: 50 Cent sporting Balrog’s bizarre haircut, Jason Momoa hulking out as Blanka, and Cody Rhodes’ skyscraper-high Guile flat-top—all set to Joey Valence & Brae’s “Punk Tactics,” which hilariously references Mortal Kombat but not Street Fighter.
With over 30 years of characters to play with, Sakurai looks ready to throw everything at the wall… including, possibly, a car-destroying bonus round.
‘Street Fighter’ hits theaters October 16, 2026.
The countdown starts now.