‘Street Fighter’ Box Office Tracking Slides Ahead of Opening Weekend, Raising Questions About Its Hefty Budget

Hollywood’s love affair with video game adaptations has produced some massive hits in recent years, with both ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ films opening to $80 million and $64 million. Paramount’s ‘Street Fighter’ reboot, directed by Kitao Sakurai, was hoping to ride that same wave when it hits theaters on Friday, October 16.

The franchise’s big-screen history has been rocky, though. The 1994 film earned about $99.4 million worldwide on a $35 million budget, while 2009’s ‘Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li’ managed just $12.7 million worldwide against a $50 million budget.

Now the latest projections suggest the new film could face a tough opening. ‘Street Fighter’ is currently tracking to earn between $22 million and $25 million in its domestic opening weekend, according to MovieHub, against a reported budget of around $120 million.

That marks a notable drop from earlier expectations. In late September, Boxoffice Pro‘s long-range forecast projected a debut between $30 million and $40 million, while presales one week out reportedly pointed to an opening in the $20 million range.

The film’s price tag makes those numbers especially concerning. Reports place the production budget between $100 million and $120 million, before marketing costs. At that level, an opening in the low-to-mid $20 million range would put significant pressure on the film’s performance in the weeks that follow. Strong word of mouth and international results will likely be crucial.

‘STREET FIGHTER’ is tracking to earn $22M–$25M on its domestic opening weekend. Its budget was $120M https://t.co/PvaSY695Ih

— MovieHub (@moviehubnow) October 14, 2026

The early tracking has drawn comparisons to other recent genre releases. ‘Mortal Kombat II’ opened to $38.5 million in May 2026, while reports note that both it and ‘Masters of the Universe’ opened in a similar range and struggled to recover.

‘Street Fighter’ would now be tracking below even that mark. That leaves the film with a lot of ground to make up if it hopes to break even. The box office outlook also comes as early reactions paint a mixed picture. Some viewers praised the film’s over-the-top action, nostalgia, and more than 100 Easter eggs, with comparisons to ‘Bloodsport’ dialed up dramatically.

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

Others felt the story was thin and muddled, with one critic saying it feels like half a movie. Prediction market Kalshi has also forecast a Rotten Tomatoes score of around 43%, though full reviews have yet to land.

The film certainly isn’t short on star power. Andrew Koji stars as Ryu and Noah Centineo as Ken, alongside Callina Liang as Chun-Li, David Dastmalchian as M. Bison, Jason Momoa as Blanka, Roman Reigns as Akuma, Cody Rhodes as Guile, 50 Cent as Balrog and Orville Peck as Vega.

It also faces competition on opening weekend, with ‘Whalefall’ and ‘Sense and Sensibility’ arriving in the same frame. The PG-13 rating should help it reach younger audiences alongside longtime fans.

Despite the softening projections, there’s still a chance the film could surprise. The franchise has a massive built-in fanbase, and several early reactions suggest Sakurai has delivered exactly the kind of fan-focused spectacle longtime players have wanted.

Some forecasts still project a total domestic run between $50 million and $86 million. Whether ‘Street Fighter’ can beat its tracking will become clear once the opening weekend numbers roll in.

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