TL;DR: Paramount’s Street Fighter, directed by Kitao Sakurai, opens today, October 14, in Philippine cinemas. It’s rated PG and runs 1 hour 59 minutes. The film is set in 1993, at the height of Street Fighter II fever. Chun-Li recruits estranged friends Ryu and Ken for the next World Warrior Tournament, which turns out to be part of a deadly conspiracy. The fights were choreographed by Filipino-American stunt veteran Jon Valera. Here’s your quick refresher before you buy tickets.
Fight night is here, mga ka-PGN. After the trailers, the Ken vs. Ryu featurette and weeks of debate in group chats over whether Hollywood can finally get a fighting game movie right, Street Fighter is now in Philippine cinemas. If you’re planning a barkada movie night this week, here’s what to know first.
Quick facts
- Now showing: October 14, 2026 (PH cinemas)
- Rating: PG
- Running time: 1 hr 59 min
- Director: Kitao Sakurai
- Distributor: Paramount Pictures
Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/njHI5d6i7sg
The story so far
The film is set in 1993, when every arcade in the country seemed to have a Street Fighter II cabinet with a line of kids waiting their turn. Chun-Li (Callina Liang) recruits Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) for the next World Warrior Tournament. The two were once training partners and as close as brothers, but they haven’t spoken in years after an event that split them apart. The tournament turns out to be part of a deadly conspiracy that pits them against each other and against their own past.
If you grew up with an older kuya or a pinsan who always called dibs on Ryu, you already know how this rivalry feels.
The roster
The cast is stacked with actors, pro wrestlers, fighters and martial artists:
- Andrew Koji as Ryu
- Noah Centineo as Ken Masters
- Callina Liang as Chun-Li
- Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoai as Akuma
- David Dastmalchian as M. Bison
- Cody Rhodes as Guile
- Jason Momoa as Blanka (also a producer)
- Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as Balrog
- Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalsim
- Orville Peck as Vega
The supporting cast includes Andrew Schulz as Dan Hibiki, Mel Jarnson as Cammy, Olivier Richters as Zangief, Hirooki Goto as E. Honda, Rayna Vallandingham as Juli, Eric André as Don Sauvage and UFC’s Alexander Volkanovski as Joe.
A kabayan behind the fights
The action was designed by Jon Valera, a Filipino-American stunt choreographer and second unit director whose credits include John Wick, Atomic Blonde and Aquaman. He calls the pressure of adapting the game “the Bruce Lee effect.” He chose clean, 90s-style martial arts over gritty, messy brawling, and his team grounded the choreography in Goju-ryu, Shotokan and Judo. A former Cirque du Soleil performer on the stunt team rigged Chun-Li’s Spinning Bird Kick so she could stay airborne a little longer than a normal human.
Each fighter also got a distinct style. Dhalsim fights like a breakdancing yogi, Blanka has a feral capoeira flair, and Balrog is modeled after Mike Tyson and Rocky III’s Clubber Lang. Check out our full breakdowns:
- Kabayan Behind the Kicks: Jon Valera on Bringing Street Fighter’s Iconic Moves to Life
- Yoga Breakdancing and Clubber Lang: How the Street Fighter Movie Built Each Fighter’s Style
Things to watch out for
According to Paramount, the film’s biggest set piece is the “burlesque scene.” It took almost two weeks to shoot, and Orville Peck calls it the longest fight sequence in the movie, with almost every fighter on screen at once. Most of the action was done with practical stunts, with VFX used only where a real stunt wasn’t safe or practical. Fans should also keep an eye out for signature moves. Sakurai has said audiences will be “blown away” by how many made it into the film.
Quick barkada movie night reminders
- It’s PG, so it’s a family fight night. Tito and tita gamers, this is your chance to show the kids why you lost so many tokens at the arcade back in the day. Just remember that PG means parental guidance, so stay with the little ones.
- Budget almost two hours. At 1 hr 59 min, grab your snacks and do your CR run before the lights go down.
- Go spoiler-free. Mute “Street Fighter” in your feeds if you can’t make opening day, and be kind to the friends who haven’t watched yet.
- Book early for weekend screenings. Opening week crowds will be real.
- Represent your main. If you’re wearing your Ryu headband or Chun-Li cosplay to the cinema, tag us. We want to see it.
Our review drops Friday
The full PinoyGaming.net review of Street Fighter goes live this Friday, October 16. Abangan!
Street Fighter is now showing in Philippine cinemas, distributed by Paramount Pictures.
Photos: Paramount Pictures