Street Fighter film at 41% on Rotten Tomatoes after first reviews
Kotaku’s October 15, 2026 roundup puts the live-action Street Fighter film at 41% on Rotten Tomatoes based on early reviews.
The film is directed by Kitao Sakurai. Kotaku’s cast list includes Noah Centineo as Ken Masters, Andrew Koji as Ryu, Callina Liang as Chun-Li, Cody Rhodes as Guile, 50 Cent as Balrog, and Eric André as Don Sauvage.
Kotaku describes the early reception as mostly negative, though not entirely unanimous. The source also notes a theatrical release on October 16, 2026, making this an early critical snapshot just before or around release.
What happened
On October 15, 2026, Kotaku rounded up the first reviews for the new live-action Street Fighter film. The piece is based on the first wave of criticism available at the time and summarizes it as largely negative, but not completely uniform. By collecting several reactions side by side, the roundup makes it clear that the film’s reception was still taking shape when the article was published.
According to the roundup, the film was sitting at 41% on Rotten Tomatoes at that point. That figure is only a snapshot of the earliest reviews and could still change as more ratings are added. Kotaku ties the score specifically to its October 15, 2026 review roundup, not to a final post-release total.
Kotaku names Kitao Sakurai as the film’s director. The same roundup links Noah Centineo to Ken Masters, Andrew Koji to Ryu, and Callina Liang to Chun-Li, while Cody Rhodes plays Guile, 50 Cent plays Balrog, and Eric André appears as ring announcer Don Sauvage. That gives the story both its creative lead and part of its notable cast.
The source also mentions a theatrical release on October 16, 2026. That places the roundup directly in the run-up to release, so the coverage is mainly about the first critical read on the movie. The provided context also includes a New York Times snippet describing the film as an enjoyable adaptation with a script sturdy enough to support a large cast, showing that the early reviews were not all pointing in the same direction.
Timeline
2026-10-15: Kotaku publishes a review roundup for Capcom’s new live-action Street Fighter film.
2026-10-15: The roundup reports a Rotten Tomatoes score of 41% based on the first available reviews.
2026-10-15: Kotaku names Kitao Sakurai as director and highlights the cast, including Noah Centineo, Andrew Koji, Callina Liang, Cody Rhodes, 50 Cent, and Eric André.
2026-10-15: The provided context also includes a New York Times snippet describing the film as an enjoyable adaptation with a sturdy enough script.
2026-10-16: The film is scheduled for theatrical release, according to the source.
Background
Street Fighter is one of Capcom’s best-known game franchises and has been adapted for film before. The new production is a live-action adaptation and is drawing attention thanks to its familiar characters and high-profile cast. The provided sources mention names from film, television, sports, and music, including Noah Centineo, Andrew Koji, Callina Liang, Cody Rhodes, 50 Cent, and Eric André. That mix makes it one of the more eye-catching game adaptations of 2026.
The early reception is still mixed across the available sources. Kotaku presents the reviews as mostly critical and places the film at 41% on Rotten Tomatoes, while the included New York Times snippet describes it as an enjoyable adaptation with a script strong enough to carry a large cast of characters. So the first critical picture is not fully settled yet and should be treated as an early snapshot rather than a final verdict.
Kotaku’s publication date of October 15, 2026, comes one day before the listed theatrical release on October 16, 2026. That means discussion around the film was already underway before its wide release. The provided context also references earlier Street Fighter-related coverage, including pieces about tracking, casting reactions, and cast interviews. Those articles show the film had been in the news for some time before the first reviews arrived.
Because the roundup focuses on the first wave of criticism, some questions remain open. The final Rotten Tomatoes score could still shift as more reviews are added. The provided context also does not confirm exactly how the listed roles line up with the final theatrical credits. For now, the coverage is mainly about the film’s early reception, not a definitive judgment after audience response, box office results, and later reviews.
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Sources
- Kotaku, review roundup for the new live-action Street Fighter film, published October 15, 2026.
- The New York Times, review snippet on Street Fighter, October 15, 2026.