Kitao Sakurai to Direct “Street Fighter”
Initially, there was no indication that “Street Fighter” would have trouble securing a director. The project had long been associated with the creators of the horror film Talk to Me!, brothers Danny and Michael Philippou.
However, they ultimately chose to direct the horror film Bring Her Back instead. Sony and Legendary didn’t want to wait and decided to find a new director. The Philippou brothers have since completed their film (its teaser has just been released online), while Sony and Legendary spent months searching for a replacement.
Now, they have finally succeeded. The new director is Kitao Sakurai, who recently worked on the series Twisted Metal, which is also inspired by a video game.
“Street Fighter” Returns to Theaters
The first Street Fighter game debuted in arcades in 1987. The gameplay was simple, focusing on fighting opponents. With the release of the second installment in the early ’90s, the series gained massive popularity.
Hollywood quickly jumped on the opportunity to create a live-action adaptation. The star of Street Fighter (1994) was Jean-Claude Van Damme, but the film failed to win over audiences, and the series was not continued.
In 2009, an attempt was made to revive the franchise. Directed by Polish filmmaker Andrzej Bartkowiak, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li starred Kristin Kreuk as Chun-Li. However, the film flopped at the box office, and the series once again faded into obscurity.
In 2023, Legendary Studios acquired the rights to adapt the series, coinciding with Capcom’s release of Street Fighter 6.
