Hollywood’s long-awaited Street Fighter reboot has landed its first punch. The live-action adaptation of Capcom’s classic arcade game opened at No. 1 at the box office this weekend, taking an estimated $31 million in the U.S. and Canada and about $51.1 million worldwide.
It’s a win on paper, but not quite the knockout the studio hoped for. And the weekend’s real surprise came from a much smaller movie: Nathan Fielder’s buzzy documentary You Can See Everything.
How ‘Street Fighter’ Performed
Released by Paramount and Legendary on Friday, October 16, Street Fighter played in 3,575 North American theaters. It earned about $13 million on Friday, $10.8 million on Saturday and $7.2 million on Sunday, according to early estimates. Overseas, it added roughly $20.1 million from 65 markets.
The film reportedly cost around $82 million to make, and Deadline had reported hopes for a global opening closer to $70 million. Industry sources still expect home entertainment and other revenue to help the film eventually turn a profit. For comparison, Mortal Kombat 2 opened to $63 million worldwide earlier this year.
The Star-Studded Cast
Directed by Kitao Sakurai, the movie is set in 1993 and follows estranged fighters Ryu and Ken, who are pulled back together when Chun-Li recruits them for the World Warrior Tournament, only to uncover a conspiracy that forces them to face their past.
- Andrew Koji as Ryu
- Noah Centineo as Ken Masters
- Callina Liang as Chun-Li
- Jason Momoa as Blanka
- David Dastmalchian as M. Bison
- 50 Cent as Balrog
- Orville Peck as Vega
WWE stars Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes, comedian Andrew Schulz and Eric Andre also appear. 50 Cent reportedly trained in the gym three hours a day to build Balrog’s famously bulky physique.
Critics vs. Fans
Reviews have been mixed. The film holds a 41% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, but audiences are much kinder, with a 79% audience score. Many reviewers described it as silly but fun, with praise going to its fight choreography. Men over 35 made up nearly half of opening-weekend ticket buyers, a sign the movie leaned heavily on nostalgia for the 1990s arcade hit.
Nathan Fielder’s Surprise Hit
While Street Fighter took the top spot, Nathan Fielder’s You Can See Everything, a documentary about Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, pulled in a remarkable $15 million from just 855 theaters. That’s an impressive per-screen average for a documentary, especially one reportedly made and marketed for under $10 million each. It has also drawn glowing reviews and become one of Letterboxd’s highest-rated feature films.
Also new in theaters, the critically praised Whalefall opened this weekend but struggled against its reported $60 million budget.
What’s Next for ‘Street Fighter’?
Sakurai has said a sequel script is being written, though a green light will depend on how the film holds up in the coming weeks. There has even been talk of a Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat crossover, but nothing has been confirmed.
For now, fans can catch Street Fighter in theaters nationwide.
Box office figures are weekend estimates and may change when final numbers are reported.
