Announced yesterday, the new Street Fighter movie trailer has just been released. It offers a clearer look at the film’s stakes and unveils new footage of the fighters as well as the arenas.

The trailer is available at the bottom of this article.

No sign of JCVD

Should we expect a lot from the Street Fighter movie? Maybe not. Video game adaptations rarely turn into masterpieces of cinema, especially when it comes to fighting games.

That said, let’s be honest: the recent Mortal Kombat movie was still an enjoyable guilty pleasure. And the fact that Paramount and Legendary are producing this Street Fighter adaptation does leave some hope for a solid piece of entertainment that at least respects the source material to some extent.

In any case, the three-minute footage showcases several fighters in action. While the cast and visual effects look generally convincing, some shots may still raise a few eyebrows.

Images: Paramount

A cast that will inevitably be harshly judged

Personally, I have some reservations about the choice of David Dastmalchian as M. Bison. The actor is excellent, but his rather slight frame and typically nuanced performances feel quite far removed from the imposing, intimidating aura of the character in the games. That said, it would be premature to dismiss his performance: Dastmalchian has portrayed many villains and disturbed characters throughout his career and could still surprise us.

To name a few other cast members:

• Noah Centineo → Ken Masters
• Andrew Koji → Ryu
• Callina Liang → Chun-Li
• Jason Momoa → Blanka (yes, really)
• 50 Cent → Balrog (yes, really again)
• Roman Reigns → Akuma
• Cody Rhodes → Guile
• Andrew Schulz → Dan Hibiki
• Vidyut Jammwal → Dhalsim
• Eric André → Don Sauvage

Images: Paramount

Fingers crossed

The film seems to aim at establishing the Street Fighter universe without leaning too heavily into a completely over-the-top tone: former fighters coming together, a “not-so-ordinary” tournament… Let’s hope the balance between seriousness, humor, and homage is found, without falling into empty fan service.

See you on October 14th at the cinema. We’ll be there — and if we can’t throw punches on Recalbox, we’ll at least watch them on the big screen.