On Sept. 4th, Capcom and Legendary Pictures revealed the official Street Fighter live-action cast and release date. The social media post introduces a roster in the style of the original arcade game. After viewing the roster, fans gave a mostly positive reception for having multiple fighters and trained action stars. What’s more shocking is that the film is set to debut in 2026 as production is nearly finalized. Here are the revealed roles for Street Fighter (2026).
Andrew Koji as Ryu
British Japanese star Andrew Koji is the perfect pick for Street Fighter’s leading protagonist, Ryu. He made his huge break in stardom in Warrior in 2019, showcasing his taekwondo skills. From then on, Koji cemented his career through action and drama films. The inspiration behind his dedication was none other than the late Chinese martial artist, Bruce Lee.
He said in a 2022 Men’s Health interview, “[Lee] was such a profoundly intelligent and incredible person for what he did at the time. If [he] hadn’t written down those eight pages about the Chinese-American experience in the 1800s, which was the foundation of Warrior, I wouldn’t be here right now. I feel weirdly, strangely connected to him in a way. He’s indirectly changed my life.”
Koji went on to star in more films that required his fighter skillset. Bullet Train, G.I.Joe: Snake Eyes, and American Gods are a few of his known pieces. While preparing for Warrior Season 3, he traveled to South Korea to expand his martial-arts training. The actor is also no stranger to video games, as it’s one of his favorite pastimes.
Noah Centineo as Ken
Noah Centineo is an interesting case as he plays Ryu’s best friend and dojo partner, Ken Masters. After years of playing rom-com characters, he stepped into the world of action. He joined the Justice Society in Black Adam as the Atom Smasher. Then, he became CIA lawyer Owen Hendricks in The Recruit. These characters required Centineo to go under combat and endurance training. He ate high-protein meals and complex carb snacks to bulk his physique.
Centineo’s commitment paid off as he presented his new muscular body on Instagram on Aug. 25th. The Recruit helped him channel a complex side, which could work well with his rom-com acting in adapting Ken’s personality. Throughout Street Fighter history, the American dojo fighter has eye-catching charisma and is one of the few who could understand Ryu’s struggles. He later marries his girlfriend, Eliza, and they have a son named Mel.
Callina Liang as Chun-Li
Back in late June, it was announced that Canadian actress Callina Liang would be playing Chun-Li in Street Fighter (2026). Her martial arts training matches the fighter’s background. The rapid-fire kicker and the Bad Genius actress have both studied wushu, the martial arts of the Chinese military. They range from fighting in barehanded combat to choreography shows. Chun-Li used these skills to protect herself as she investigated her father’s disappearance.
Liang also practiced the Malay Archipelago self-defense art of silat. This fighting style focuses on swift counters against an attacker. It suits Chun-Li’s style as it incorporates sweep kicks, grabs, and body tossing. The actress shared her excitement on Instagram as she grew up playing Street Fighter. Not only that, Liang follows the footsteps of Ming-Na Wen, who played Chun-Li in the original 1994 live-action adaptation.
The Interpol agent did have a standalone film, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li. The 2009 spy flick received negative reviews for poor casting choices, stilted acting, and a plot that took no inspiration from her game counterpart. Casting critics are happy with Legendary Pictures’ pick.
Cody Rhodes as Guile
Seeing Cody Rhodes cast as Guile for the 2026 live-action adaptation definitely had WWE maniacs screaming for joy. His physique and mixed martial arts style fit the US Air Force commando. The American Nightmare has been trained to wrestle since he was 12 years old under the guidance of his father, Dusty “The American Dream” Rhodes. He underwent extensive training upon entering Ohio Valley Wrestling.
Some spectators were skeptical of Cody Rhodes’ acting outside of the wrestling spotlight. The Howard Fine Studio reassures followers that the American Nightmare pursued the career path in 2004. He studied everything from foundation classes to his emotional range, which transcended his wrestler persona. And before retiring from All Elite Wrestling, Rhodes became Derek Sampson for CW’s Arrow. The AEW superstar honors Street Fighter’s Guile with his American Nightmare skull with his famous hair on X (then Twitter).
Orville Peck as Vega
Masked country artist Orville Peck was a mystery to Street Fighter fans after he was announced as Vega. There is no known information on his martial arts training. The masked cowboy, however, has shown dedication to learn theatrical acting. His music videos presented viewers with captivating stories following his lyrical narrative. He finally made his first break on Broadway as the Emcee for Cabaret this past March.
According to Billboard, Peck’s performance on stage was whimsical. They commented that he transformed his character into becoming more sinister than sexual. The openly gay musician actually debated taking on the production’s offer. He said, “Whether I would wear the mask or not was never the question. The real trepidation was when the offer came in. I had the opportunity to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to doing this. I had a lot of thinking to do, so I asked the people in my life if this was the right thing to do and the right moment for it. But it became an easy ‘yes’.”
MovieWeb believes that Cabaret is what led to hiring Peck as Vega. Street Fighter has presented the masked assassin who kills anyone he deems ugly. By day, he’s a nobleman matador. At night, he’s a ferocious murderer. By studying ninjutsu, Vega is very agile, which could put the masked cowboy’s dancing to use.
50 Cent as Balgrog
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is no stranger to the ring. Before becoming a well-known rapper, he trained in amateur boxing. One of his dreams was to join the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Instead, he has become a partner for Bellator MMA. He sees a second chance to throw hands as Street Fighter’s Balrog.
50 Cent’s reputation at the time inspired Universal Studios to recruit him for the hip-hop fighting game, Def Jam. However, the “In Da Club” rapper realized Def Jam Recordings’ contract lacked the job security and record ownership. He rejected the $1.3 million deal to preserve his label.
In recent years, 50 Cent has pursued a slow return to boxing. He became very active between 2023 and 2024. He can be seen throwing punches at a speed bag on TikTok last May. His training and life story could be used to channel Balrog’s character, for he’s a street boxer.
Jason Momoa as Blanka
Jason Momoa had Street Fighter fans concerned when Legendary Pictures cast him for Blanka. While the mutated jungle man appears as a monster, Blanka is a kind-hearted, jolly soul. Momoa is known for his tough roles, such as Ka’lana from Chief of War. He has shown he can be goofy on camera when playing Garret Garrison in The Minecraft Movie.
Some wonder if the production team will use CGI motion capture or a green latex suit for the Aquaman actor. His body type does resemble Blanka’s, and so does his martial arts training. He practiced Brazilian jiu-jitsu under the legend Roger Gracie. Momoa recently studied kali while preparing for his role in Dune in the Philippines. If possible, the actor could pull off the jungle man’s famous Backstep Roll. He’s capable of performing backflips, as seen in this T-Mobile Super Bowl ad.
Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalism
Vidyut Jammwal is an excellent pick for Street Fighter’s Dhalism (Dhali for short). He’s been a masterful martial artist and Indian movie stuntman. In fact, his official YouTube channel teaches viewers the ancient art of kalaripayattu. This 4th-century defense art has three stages: body control (meithari), wooden weapon training (kolthari), and metal weapon training (angathari).
Jammwal offers his respect to kalaripayattu with filmed demonstrations. His dedication led him to star in numerous Bollywood action movies, such as Commando and IB 71. His most recent action thriller, Madharsi, is his best film to date. Dhali’s body is very flexible, which is perfect for the role’s nimbleness. We can’t wait to see him breathe his Yoga Fire!
Olivier Richter as Zangief
Olivier Richters continues to expand his movie repertoire, in becoming the loveable Russian wrestler, Zangief. The Dutch Giant is well known for his bodybuilding prowess. Most of his acting career has consisted of performing fight scenes and playing menacing characters. Richters’ first video game film was the critical flop, Borderlands, where he played Krom. Street Fighter (2026) will be the second video game adaptation project.
According to the fitness model’s official website, he has martial arts experience. He specializes in kickboxing and basic sword fighting. Richters isn’t afraid to learn more, for Zangief’s move set requires heavy punches and pile-driving his foes to the ground. At least he matches the Red Cyclone’s stature, standing at 7’2”.
Hirooki Goto as E. Honda
Hirooki Goto is a welcome surprise to the Street Fighter 2026 roster. He’s a multi-champion Japanese pro-wrestler and has weathered through eight losses. He made a comeback in the International Wrestling Grand Prix (IWGP) on Feb. 11th, 2025, where he defeated Zack Sabre Jr., finally earning his champion’s belt.
Now, Goto has been recruited to become Street Fighter’s E. Honda. Unlike the IWGP champion, Honda is a proud traveling sumo wrestler, persuading people to respect the Japanese art. The 2026 adaptation is not Goto’s first movie appearance. He has appeared in action roles throughout his wrestling career, including Kaiji: Final Game and Kamen Rider Zero-One: RealxTime.
David Dastmalchian as M. Bison
David Dastmalchian is another non-combatant cast member who’s assigned to play the dastardly M. Bison. Compared to his previous villain roles, the Shadaloo leader requires him to undergo special training. He’s known to be led by the Psycho Power and is obsessed with world domination.
The Dune Part 1 actor has big shoes to fill from Street Fighter (1994)’s late Raul Julia. Julia was unable to watch his performance due to his passing, but the gaming community loved his portrayal of M. Bison. Julia’s iconic scene features him and his co-star, Wen. Chun-Li confronting the self-imposed dictator for harming her village. He gave a cold response, saying, “For you, the day Bison graced your village was the most important day of your life. For me, it was Tuesday.”
Roman Reigns as Akuma
WrestleMania star Roman Reigns has most Street Fighter casting critics concerned. While he has Akuma’s athletic build, many wonder if he can pull off his threatening presence. The looming demon has been haunting Ryu since the beginning of the series. Reigns has done a few movie gigs that required his dramatic wrestling persona. One of his best characters is when he portrayed Mateo from Hobbs & Shaw.
Reigns also isn’t shy to voice act. Aside from the WWE games, he has voiced two roles. He played Kizin in Disney’s Elena of Avalor, and Ramarilla in Paramount’s kaiju wrestling film, Rumble. We can imagine his menacing vocals enhancing his method acting as Akuma.
Mel Jarnson as Cammy
Thai-Australian actress and singer Mel Jarnson successfully picked up another video game role for Street Fighter’s Cammy. Her previous role, Nitara from Mortal Kombat (2021), didn’t include any martial arts training. The underworld beauty was immediately eliminated by Kung Lao.
Cammy is a recurring villain in the arcade fighter series. She is one of the leading henchmen under M. Bison’s thumb. The British Special Forces agent has also had a long-time rivalry with Chun-Li. Fans are hoping Jarnson’s character gets enough screen time throughout the 2026 adaptation.
Extra Mentioned Cast Members
The rest of the Street Fighter (2026) cast includes one comical fighter and a few side characters. Stand-up comedian Andrew Schulz felt honored to play the misfortunate Dan Hibiki. Comic actor Eric André becomes the quirky stage announcer Don Sauvage. Cobra Kai’s Rayna Vallandingham will play the femme fatale, Juli. And finally, Australian mixed martial artist Alexander Volkanovski will be featured as the almost forgotten superstar, Joe. Street Fighter (2026) will challenge theaters on Oct. 16, 2026!
