Currently at under $80m at the worldwide box office, Street Fighter may not have set the movie world on fire, but sequels were planned.
Released on October 16, the latest live-action Street Fighter movie has met with a mixed reception among fans and critics, currently sitting at 41% on the Rotten Tomatoes “Tomatometer” and 78% on the “Popcornmeter”.
With Box Office Mojo reporting that its domestic take, at the time of writing, is $46,925,821 (off a $30,775,377 opening), the movie had a reported budget of $82 million, suggesting that there’s a long road ahead before it become profitable.
Despite this, it turns out that Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns are seemingly signed for sequels, along with the rest of the cast, but more WWE and AEW stars join them:
A sequel was planned
The final scene of the movie sets up a sequel, as does a mid-credits animated scene.
Olivier Richters, the actor who portrayed Zangief, confirmed that the cast were all signed to a three-movie deal, responding to a fan video on YouTube, stating:
“All actors, including me, signed for 3 movies. If a sequel is made, Zangief will shine was the promise.”
With Collider noting a 72% drop in box office during a week that saw Clayface reign supreme, the numbers may not bode too well for a planned sequel, let alone a trilogy.
Kenny Omega is up for a sequel
Kenny Omega did motion capture for the video game Street Fighter 6, giving the character of Alex is One-Winged Angel finishing move.
Speaking on Fall Damage about the recent live-action movie, Omega revealed he congratulated Cody Rhodes in a text after the casting announcement, going on to say he would be up for playing Alex in a potential sequel, but would need to “know in advance” so that he can add the lean muscle required.
More AEW & WWE stars to join the sequel
If a sequel happens, hopes are high that Hirooki Goto will have more to do as E. Honda.
Street Fighter is a perfect medium to bring more WWE stars to the big screen, with Dominik Mysterio a shoo-in to play El Fuerte, the luchador and chef introduced in Street Fighter IV, although he’d need to wear a mask for the role.
The world would be open for Will Ospreay in a Street Fighter sequel, although Luke Sullivan may be a fit, with a potential birthplace change to better fit the accent of the AEW World Champion.
With over 500 characters to choose from, there’s plenty of opportunities for WWE and AEW stars to feature in cameo roles, further building on the history of Street Fighter. Ryu’s number one fan, Sakura Kasugano, being portrayed by Mina Shirakawa, or Kofi as Dee Jay (although it would mean a return to his early days in WWE where he was Jamaican).
With M. Bison still at large, perhaps the android Seth could be a feature in the sequel, further expanding on Shadaloo and its machinations. In his male form, Bobby Lashley wouldn’t look out of place as the Street Fighter IV boss in a live-action cameo.
Could the sequel happen?
A disappointing first movie doesn’t rule out the possibility of a sequel, although executives are likely to be reluctant when it comes to throwing money behind a follow-up. A blend of live action and animated sequences, there may be an option to pursue a sequel that is reminiscent of the anime movie from the 1990s.
The dominance of streaming platforms may see one of them pick up the baton, assuming Paramount Pictures doesn’t want it behind its own service, with an option for a limited theatrical release before it releases on the likes of Netflix, Prime Video or other such services.
Street Fighter’s performance will also no doubt be examined through the lens of Mortal Kombat II, released back in May, which amassed $129,570,110 at the worldwide box office, with $79,770,110 domestic, according to Box Office Mojo.
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