‘Street Fighter’ Gets a Knockout Audience Score Despite a Rocky Reception From Critics

Video game adaptations have had a long, bumpy road at the box office and with critics, and ‘Street Fighter’ knows that history better than most. The 1994 original sits at 20% on Rotten Tomatoes, while ‘Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li’ managed just 3%, leaving fans hoping this new big-screen reboot could finally land a clean hit.

Directed by Kitao Sakurai, who co-wrote the script with T.J. Fixman, the Paramount and Legendary film opens in theaters on October 16. Set in 1993, it follows estranged street fighters Ryu and Ken Masters as they get pulled back into combat, with Andrew Koji as Ryu, Noah Centineo as Ken, and Callina Liang as Chun-Li.

Critics haven’t been especially kind, but audiences appear to be telling a different story. The film currently holds a 45% Tomatometer score from 64 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, alongside a far stronger 84% Popcornmeter score from more than 250 verified ratings.

The film’s critical score has been moving since reviews first dropped. It debuted around 28% before climbing into the 40s as more reviews came in, though it still sits firmly in rotten territory.

Após aprovação desastrosa da crítica, o filme de STREET FIGHTER recebeu uma avaliação surpreendente de 84% do público geral no Rotten Tomatoes 🍅 Live-action já está em cartaz nos cinemas. https://t.co/PZ0OmtSWMl

— O Vício (@ovicio) October 16, 2026

Common criticisms include an abrupt ending, heavy sequel setup, predictable dialogue, groan-worthy humor, and fight scenes some found dull. The Hollywood Reporter called it a tonal mess that swings between deadly serious and parody, while The Playlist argued it barely feels like a complete movie.

Not every review was negative. Consequence said the film works the way fans would want a big-screen ‘Street Fighter’ to work, while IGN praised it for never letting good sense get in the way of a good time.

The gap between critics and moviegoers isn’t unusual for video game adaptations. Rotten Tomatoes’ own first-reviews roundup described the film as colorful, weird, and noisy, but clearly made with affection for fans.

That fan-first approach seems to be paying off with viewers who know the source material. Several critics also praised the strong leads, animated sequences, and action choreography, with ComingSoon giving it a 6 out of 10 for its style.

Forbes has pointed to ‘Mortal Kombat’ as a comparison, noting that it earned middling critic scores but strong audience reactions. ‘Street Fighter’ may be on track to follow a similar path.

PERFECT! Watch the New Trailer for Street Fighter, hitting theaters everywhere October 16. https://t.co/jAAPf1k9jf

— Street Fighter Movie (@Street_Fighter) September 1, 2026

Part of the appeal is an eclectic cast stacked with recognizable faces. Cody Rhodes plays Guile, Roman Reigns takes on Akuma, and David Dastmalchian appears as M. Bison. Jason Momoa plays Blanka, while 50 Cent steps in as Balrog. Eric André and Andrew Schulz round out the cast as Don Sauvage and Dan Hibiki.

The PG-13 film runs 1 hour and 59 minutes and is playing in IMAX and RealD 3D. Its larger-than-life casting has been one of the biggest talking points since the project was announced.

The film carries a reported budget of $82 million, not including marketing. Box office projections have varied, with Box Office Pro estimating a $30 million to $40 million domestic debut and Box Office Theory suggesting $25 million to $35 million.

More cautious estimates have put the opening between $22 million and $29 million, with a global launch of around $70 million floated as possible. It faces competition from ‘Whalefall’, tracking for $10 million to $15 million, and ‘Sense and Sensibility’.

A strong audience score could help ‘Street Fighter’ through word of mouth. If fans keep turning out, the film may overcome its critical reception the way other game adaptations have.

Many reviews noted the film’s heavy sequel setup, suggesting the studios have bigger plans for the franchise. Whether those plans come together will likely depend on how audiences show up over the next few weekends.

For now, the split between critics and moviegoers makes ‘Street Fighter’ one of the more interesting box office stories of the season. Fans will soon find out whether it delivers a knockout or takes an early fall.

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