Street Fighter Fans Are Having The Same Reaction To The First Trailer

The Game Awards took place last night and brought with it many surprises. Indeed, one of the biggest unexpected events of the evening came in the form of the first teaser trailer for the 2026 "Street Fighter" movie, which hails from Paramount Pictures and Legendary. Based on the beloved video game series of the same name, it hopes to become the latest game-to-movie adaptation to be good, actually. And based on the reactions to the first trailer, it's on the right track — not because it looks like high art, but because it promises big, ridiculous fun.

Legendary Pictures landed the "Street Fighter" rights in 2023 in a deal with Capcom and it wasted no time making use of them. The teaser, which you can see below in case you missed it, is less than a minute long. All the same, it communicates precisely what audiences can expect in about 45 seconds: guys throwing guys to other guys to kick them through walls, ludicrous haircuts, game-accurate costumes, capes, kicking hoods off of cars. It's all very silly in a way that has prospective audiences on board.

"'Street Fighter' movie looks [like] dumb fun! I'm so glad they went the more campy route. This looks so stupid. I'm ready!" to quote X/Twitter user @RiotMocolatte. That sentiment seemed to echo across social media at large. "Honest thoughts on the new 'Street Fighter' movie trailer?? I think it's going to be unhinged in the best way!" as a fan on Threads put it.

"Street Fighter" also has an utterly stacked cast, with everyone from Jason Momoa ("Aquaman") playing Blanka to actor/rapper 50 Cent portraying Balrog, and so on and so forth. It's eclectic and potentially overstuffed, but the reactions to the film's teaser suggest that the "more is more" approach is resonating.

"Just saw the teaser for the new 'Street Fighter' movie, and I absolutely love how unashamed and campy it looks, the aesthetic embraces the outlandish feel of that world, can't wait to see it," as Saminu Hani put it on Threads. Words like "campy" and "dumb" are being thrown around a lot, but generally not in a negative context. People are embracing what Paramount is selling.

"Yeah 'Street Fighter' is gonna [be] a 0/10 movie but also a 10/10 Discord watch party movie," as @winterweather noted on X/Twitter. It's also worth noting that the director behind that "10/10 Discord watch party movie" is Kitao Sakurai ("Bad Trip," "The Eric Andre Show"). Originally, Danny and Michael Philippou ("Talk to Me") were set to call the shots, but they eventually departed the project. It appears that may have worked out for all involved.

"As big a 'Street Fighter' fan I am, I am so, so glad they've decided to lean into the camp rather than take it seriously," Mark McQueen remarked on Threads. "This is gonna be a 'go in, turn your brain off, enjoy stupid s**t' movie, and I am ALL for it." Wrestler Simon Miller, a "Street Fighter" fan, seemed legitimately into it as well, writing the following on X/Twitter:

"It's either going to be incredible or an absolute rollercoaster ... which, in spite of itself, becomes genuinely incredible. Given that a trailer is meant to intrigue you, though ... I'm intrigued! For context, I think 'Street Fighter 2' onwards is all-time."

Paramount dropped this teaser 10 months before the movie hits theaters. That signals a certain level of confidence. Based on the reactions, it has reason to be confident, too. "The 'Street Fighter' movie trailer gives 1995 'Mortal Kombat' feels. I hope they do it that way. Silly, over the top, and doesn't take itself seriously," Ermon Cabrieto wrote on Threads. For better or worse, the 1995 "Mortal Kombat" movie was a campier affair, not to mention a hit. But we've come a long way since then.

"Ok, wait a minute. Yes, some of the casting choices are questionable for this 'Street Fighter' movie," Film Junkee noted on X/Twitter. "But they're leaning into insanity here and something may be cooking. They have the f***ing car you beat the s**t out of in the game."

One thing this movie needs to do is distance itself a bit from "Mortal Kombat," as "Mortal Kombat II" is due to hit theaters in May 2026. That said, the 2021 movie based on that series of fighting games took itself very seriously and had a grittier tone with more gore. Sakurai, on the other hand, has apparently gone in the completely opposite direction, which people are digging. 

The "Street Fighter" synopsis reads as follows:

Set in 1993, estranged Street Fighters Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) are thrown back into combat when the mysterious Chun-Li (Callina Liang) recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament: a brutal clash of fists, fate, and fury. But behind this battle royale lies a deadly conspiracy that forces them to face off against each other and the demons of their past. And if they don't, it's game over!

"Street Fighter" hits theaters on October 16, 2026.