There is a long and oftentimes inglorious history of movies based on video games, though these films have tended to receive a hostile reception from critics. Nonetheless, some video game movies have cemented themselves as firm favourites among franchise fanboys despite getting short shrift from the film buffs.
This is certainly the case with the 1994 Street Fighter film, which was universally panned by critics, despite the lead Raúl Juliá being singled out for an unforgettable performance and being nominated for a Saturn Award.
The film was roundly condemned for its overly camp nature (Kylie Minogue starts as one of the leads, making it difficult for us to dispute this charge), but this is precisely what has made it such a cult hit among fans of the Street Fighter franchise. Now, 27 years on from the release of this iconic piece of Street Fighter history, we are eagerly awaiting the next instalment. So, what are the prospects of another Street Fighter movie in the near future?
Streetfighter: A Growing Multimedia Empire
First, let’s look at where the franchise is today. A promising sign for those hoping for a new Street Fighter film is the growing scale and success of the extended Street Fighter multimedia empire, beyond the original game series. While we haven’t had a movie in a long time, we have had a range of additional successful content.
One standout example is the successful Street Fighter II online slot game, available to play online for free on sites such as NetEnt. This 5-reel slot is essentially a homage to the original SFII game, with the difference being that players can win real cash when they play. The success of this slot suggests that there is plenty of scope for the franchise to continue expanding further.
Street Fighter Movies: A Rocky Road
Of course, there have been some film releases since the original 1994 movie, although none have come close in terms of scale and budget. The closest attempt at Street Fighter live-action content came in 2014 with the British web series Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist release. To the surprise of many, Assassin’s Fist garnered strong positive reviews from the critics, with many noting that it constituted the most faithful adaptation of the game series to date and praising the acting of the cast. The series is available to view in its entirety for free on YouTube.
Another smaller-scale attempt came in 2016 with the release of the tiny four-part YouTube series Street Fighter: Resurrection, which was little more than an extended trailer for the Street Fighter V PS4 game released later that year. Since then, the fans have been left wanting, to say the least.
Could the New Mortal Kombat Movie Be a Sign of Things to Come?
Another sign that prompted some Street Fighter fans to express hopes of a new film was the summer 2021 release of a brand-new blockbuster Mortal Kombat. The big-budget film was a box office success, despite middling reviews from critics. The strong showing for this one suggests that there could be an appetite for similar films in the future, which is why there has been some speculation that this could prompt Hollywood to take another look at Street Fighter for source material. Only time will tell.
So, are you hoping for another Street Fighter movie, or do you think the 1994 film was more than enough?
