Street Fighter 2026 hit theaters on October 16 with two WWE stars in the cast, a 42% Tomatometer score, and a box office forecast of $25 million to $35 million. “Genesis” Johnny North saw it on opening day, and his verdict was blunt. “I’ll be generous and give it a two,” he said. Two out of five.
There is one big exception. Johnny thinks Roman Reigns is the best thing in the movie, and he thinks it could do for the Tribal Chief what The Mummy Returns did for The Rock.
Cody Rhodes did not get off as easily.
🎯 Key Takeaways
- The verdict: Johnny North gives the film two out of five. Better than the 1994 film, but still disappointing.
- Roman Reigns steals it: As Akuma, Roman has a small role that stands out, and Johnny compares it to The Rock’s Scorpion King breakout.
- Cody Rhodes as Guile is a step down: Following Jean-Claude Van Damme was a tough spot, and Guile is pushed to the background.
- Critics agree: Reviewers praise the anime sequences and the action but call the story incoherent. Fans are kinder, at 80% on the Popcornmeter.
Table of Contents
What Is Street Fighter 2026?
This is the third live-action Street Fighter film, after the 1994 Universal movie and 2009’s The Legend of Chun-Li. Legendary produced it with Capcom, and Paramount is distributing it. Kitao Sakurai directed it, based on a script he wrote with T. J. Fixman.
The story is set in 1993. Chun-Li recruits Ryu and his estranged rival, Ken Masters, for the next World Warrior Tournament, which turns out to hide a conspiracy, according to the film’s Wikipedia entry. Filming took place in Australia from August to November 2025 under the working title Punch.
Quick Facts
The Street Fighter Movie Cast: Two WWE Stars, a New Japan Legend and a UFC Champion
For wrestling and MMA fans, the Street Fighter movie cast reads like a crossover event. Andrew Koji plays Ryu, Noah Centineo is Ken, Callina Liang is Chun-Li, and David Dastmalchian is M. Bison.
Then the combat sports names start showing up. Roman Reigns, credited as Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i, plays Akuma. Cody Rhodes is Guile. New Japan’s Hirooki Goto plays E. Honda, and former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski appears as Joe. Jason Momoa, who also produced the film, is Blanka. 50 Cent plays boxer Balrog, and Eric André plays Don Savage.
Dave Simon saw that lineup in the commercials and called it right away. “This movie just seems like a bunch of people in it and not really a movie,” he said. “It’s like, hey, you know this guy, cool, eh?”
Johnny agreed. “That’s what it kind of is,” he said. “Oh, this cool guy, this cool guy, Jason Momoa is Blanka. That’s a fun little thing.” Dave’s one request, a Jason Momoa vs. Roman Reigns fight, never happens. Blanka fights Ryu instead.
Roman Reigns as Akuma Is the Best Part of the Movie
Johnny was clear on this. Roman Reigns as Akuma is the reason to see the film, even though he has limited screen time. He plays the villainous, spirit-like figure set against Ryu, and Johnny said he stood out every time he was on screen.
“I give all the credit to Roman Reigns. I feel like he definitely has a future in movies, from what I saw.”
Johnny North, Wrestling Uncensored, October 16, 2026
His comparison is The Rock in The Mummy Returns. The Scorpion King was a small role, but it stood out enough to earn Dwayne Johnson his own spin-off and launch a Hollywood career. “He didn’t have the biggest role, but he stood out for what he had,” Johnny said of Roman.
That fits what we have seen from Roman in the ring lately. His match with LA Knight at Money in the Bank was all facial expressions and presence, which we covered in our Roman Reigns vs LA Knight preview. Akuma barely talks either. Dave’s reaction to all the praise was perfect: “Acknowledging your Tribal Chief.”
Cody Rhodes as Guile: “Don’t Quit Your Day Job”
This is where the review got rough. In the 1994 film, Guile was the lead, played by Jean-Claude Van Damme. This time, Cody Rhodes as Guile is pushed to the background. “Guile’s been a bit downgraded,” Johnny said.
Johnny’s advice to Cody was “don’t quit your day job,” but he was fair about why. Following Van Damme is a different level of charisma and acting, and it put Cody in a bad spot.
“It’s like you’re taking Arnold Schwarzenegger, and then you’re saying Mark Wahlberg is gonna be in that role instead. It’s not the same. And that’s being very nice to Cody.”
Johnny North, Wrestling Uncensored
Johnny gave Cody credit for doing the best he could with the part. Cody fans will have plenty more Cody in the ring soon, between his feud with Randy Orton, which we broke down in our Cody Rhodes vs Randy Orton predictions, and his spot on SmackDown.
What Works: Ryu and the Anime Sequences
Dave played Street Fighter II on the Super Nintendo and picked Ryu, so Johnny had good news for him. This Street Fighter movie review comes with one bright spot for Ryu fans. Ryu is the main character this time. The story centers on Ryu’s rivalry with Ken and his struggle to keep his dark side from taking over before the tournament begins.
The film’s best feature is its style. The movie switches between animated sequences and live action. Johnny loved the “really cool visuals and bloody fights” in the anime scenes, and said the live-action fights stay violent without going over the top.
Critics landed in the same place. In Rotten Tomatoes’ roundup of first reviews, The Hollywood Reporter said the anime flashbacks “outshine the live action,” and IGN praised the stunt team’s work in the fights.
What Doesn’t Work: A Story All Over the Place
“The story goes all over the place,” Johnny said. “It’s easy to get lost in all this, because they’re just throwing all these different characters at you.” Chun-Li, E. Honda, Blanka, Balrog, and more are introduced, but few of them get room to matter.
The ending leaves things on a cliffhanger, so the studio is clearly hoping for a sequel. Johnny’s suggestion: if there is a part two, make the whole thing anime. A live-action sequel? He wouldn’t get your hopes up too much.
Street Fighter Movie Review Scores: Critics vs Fans
Johnny’s two stars put him close to the critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, Street Fighter 2026 sits at 42% from 93 reviews. Critics’ consensus credits its “affection for its source material” and “dizzying style” but calls its storytelling incoherent and its humor juvenile.
Fans are kinder. The Popcornmeter is at 80% from more than 500 verified ratings, the same kind of critics-vs-fans split Johnny talked about in his Resident Evil 2026 review, only reversed.
| Source | Score | Take |
|---|---|---|
| Johnny North | 2 / 5 | Better than 1994, still disappointing |
| Rotten Tomatoes critics | 42% | Great style, incoherent story |
| Rotten Tomatoes audience | 80% | Fans having fun |
At the box office, Boxoffice Pro projected a $25 million to $35 million domestic opening for October 16 to 18. That’s a soft number for a film with a reported nine-figure budget, though Paramount has not confirmed the cost.
Should You See Street Fighter 2026?
If you are a Street Fighter fan, Johnny’s advice is to lower your expectations. “Just be happy that it’s better than 1994,” he said. “Besides that, disappointing, sadly.”
If you are a wrestling fan, there is a better reason to go: Roman Reigns as Akuma. And if you want a reminder of what a WWE star playing a villain looks like on the big screen, read our take on John Cena’s Coyote vs Acme casting.
Johnny North regularly reviews new releases on Wrestling Uncensored, live every Friday at 10 p.m. Eastern. More on his background is on Johnny North’s bio page.
Street Fighter 2026: Frequently Asked Questions
Is Street Fighter 2026 worth watching?
Johnny North gave Street Fighter 2026 2 out of 5 stars. He called it better than the 1994 film but disappointing overall, with a story that goes all over the place. Wrestling fans may still enjoy Roman Reigns as Akuma.
Who is in the Street Fighter movie cast?
The Street Fighter movie cast includes Andrew Koji as Ryu, Noah Centineo as Ken, Callina Liang as Chun-Li, David Dastmalchian as M. Bison, Roman Reigns as Akuma, Cody Rhodes as Guile, Jason Momoa as Blanka, 50 Cent as Balrog, Hirooki Goto as E. Honda and Alexander Volkanovski as Joe.
Who does Roman Reigns play in Street Fighter?
Roman Reigns, credited as Joe Anoa’i, plays Akuma. Johnny North called him the best part of the movie and compared the role to The Rock’s breakout as Scorpion King.
What is the Rotten Tomatoes score for Street Fighter 2026?
Street Fighter 2026 has a 42% Tomatometer score from 93 reviews and an 80% Popcornmeter score from more than 500 verified audience ratings.
Will there be a Street Fighter 2026 sequel?
No sequel has been announced, but the film ends on a cliffhanger. Johnny North suggested a sequel would work better as a fully animated film.
