ROTTEN TOMATOES: Street Fighter Gets Its Director

Street Fighter Gets Its Director

Hey, Capcom -- what did we ever do to you?

by Jeff Giles | September 06, 2007

It was just over 20 years ago that Capcom released the first game in the Street Fighter series -- so how better to celebrate than a report in Variety detailing plans for the new Street Fighter film adaptation?

Yes, film fans, it's true: No amount of time spent in development (or utter moviegoer apathy) can kill Capcom's desire to bring its popular videogame back to the screen, and to that end, Variety reports that Andrzej Bartkowiak has been signed to direct. The article refers to him as an "action specialist," and that's pretty accurate -- his previous directorial credits include Romeo Must Die, Exit Wounds, and Cradle 2 the Grave.

The script? It's being given a "polish" by Justin Marks, who wrote the original draft. If Marks' name sounds familiar to you, it's probably because we've recently discussed his work on the forthcoming Voltron movie, as well as his involvement in the Super Max and He-Man projects. Variety describes the story as being "focused on female fighter Chun Li and her journey for justice."

The first Street Fighter movie, released in 1994, rode the combined star power of Jean-Claude Van Damme, Raul Julia, and Kylie Minogue to a $33 million gross and late-night cable infamy. Simply by virtue of inflation, the new adaptation -- which is being produced by Capcom in conjunction with Hyde Park and distributed by Fox -- seems almost certain to earn more.

The article doesn't provide any casting details, but who needs 'em? Our fellow Vineketeers can come up with a great cast right here in the comments. Let's hear it, RT faithful -- who do you think should star in a Street Fighter for the new millennium?

Source: Variety

Related Items

Celeb:	Raul Julia
	Jean-Claude Van Damme
	Kylie Minogue
	Andrzej Bartkowiak

(1-20 of 37 posts) | Reply

fatmc writes:
on Sep 06 2007 04:40 AM

is this the same guy who screwed up the Doom movie? ... anyway, it can't possibly be worse than the Van Damme version...

(Reply to this)

akatsuki writes:
on Sep 06 2007 05:28 AM

okay, i think we all know what to expect; all action; suspense,moderate; story? ask the writer

(Reply to this)

bibowski writes:
on Sep 06 2007 06:24 AM

Just PLEASE base the movie on Ryu. He's everyone's favorite character, and you could get almost any generic kung fu actor to play him.

I hope they base the actors around their martial arts abilities AND acting abilities. Watching Ken do a 'dragon punch' in the original was hilariously awful. It won't be if it happens again.

Try to copy the style of the animated film, but try to stick with little to no-name actors.

(Reply to this)

Defmonkey writes:
on Sep 06 2007 06:27 AM

They better not get Jessica Biel to play Li. That is the worse idea ever. She would be better suited for Cammy IMO (she would look good as a blonde). But to play the thick thighed Chun Li... Hmmm, that is a good question. Its very hard to find a chinese woman who is not a tooth pick...

(Reply to this)

Baccus83 writes:
on Sep 06 2007 07:48 AM

"it is very hard to find a chinese woman who is not a tooth pick..."

oooookay.

(Reply to this)

deneco4 writes:
on Sep 06 2007 08:06 AM

Maggie Q for chung lee
Give us Clive Owen for M Bison or someone who actually is cool and a good actor

And while we at it.. put owen wilson as ken and ben stiller as Ken, so at least when this movie bombs we can at least laugh.

(Reply to this)

h-town24 writes:
on Sep 06 2007 08:16 AM

Defmonkey, what kind of racist *** ***** was that?!

(Reply to this)

VinceVega writes:
on Sep 06 2007 08:16 AM

Chuck Norris as Blanka.

(Reply to this)

belyle writes:
on Sep 06 2007 09:18 AM

they should do it in the CGI style like 300 and Beowulf. That's the only way that they can make the characters like the video game people. As far as casting goes.... I think that Jason Statham would be a good M. Bison. Cami should be played by Angelina Jolie, as she is only fit for cheesy action roles.

(Reply to this)

Conehead2187 writes:
on Sep 06 2007 09:57 AM

"Quick! Change the channel!"

(Reply to this)

VinceVega writes:
on Sep 06 2007 12:00 PM

Nicholas Cage as M. Bison.

(Reply to this)

Bob* writes:
on Sep 06 2007 12:09 PM

In reply to this comment (#1101467)
I agree. Ryu and Ken are the stars of the franchise. I don't understand why it will be focused in Chun li..oh well :C

(Reply to this)

Scarborough Fair writes:
on Sep 06 2007 12:10 PM

Pavorotti's bloated corpse as E honda.
But really, why are they making this? Fight-tournament films are godawful. why bother? Why would I care to see Ryu rise to the top of this fight-heap? complete crap. And this crappy movie was already made? Just awful.

(Reply to this)

kungfu_sage writes:
on Sep 06 2007 01:10 PM

well at the very least theres no one thats gonna claim that they "ruined" the original, and I 'm gonna have to agree with def monkey, all the asian female martial artists I know, especially the really good ones, are as skinny as you can get, their muscles are tight but not big.

(Reply to this)

Tyler Durden2000 writes:
on Sep 06 2007 02:15 PM

They'll probably get Ben Stiller to play the lead, since hes in every other movie that comes out. What is his draw? I'm still not quite sure. I think Sharon Stone would make an excellent Blanka, with Owen Wilson as Ken. Oh wait, hes still sad? Well suck it up, Owen - theres money to be made.

(Reply to this)

wiggins writes:
on Sep 06 2007 03:18 PM

Lou Diamond Philips as Chun Li

Jack Black as Blanka

Goldie Hawn as Ken

Mel Gibson as M. Bison

(Reply to this)

punktuate writes:
on Sep 06 2007 03:20 PM

50 cent as blanka joke....sorta, daniel craig as guile, christian bale as ken, clive owen as m.bison is a great idea, Chiaki Kuriyama as chun li she's the chick that played gogo on kill bill, so far thats what i got

(Reply to this)

Exode writes:
on Sep 06 2007 03:27 PM

I can imagine this director is already thinking in terms of how he can incorporate the first sexy Chun-Li shot into the film and make it look good, Jokes about E. Honda's obesity, making Ryu and Ken comic relief, give Blanka humanity to cause us to feel for him on a deeply empathetic level, giving Guile a patriotic sense of duty with a badass attitude, showing through Vega how misplaced loyalties can lead to a man's demise, displaying the corruption of greed through Balrog, turning Cammy into a storyline about how she could have been with Guile but circumstances through their government had to keep them apart, present a two dimensional philosophy to Bision in which he uses to justify his actions and quest for power, ect.

Just call this Cliche: The Movie.

(Reply to this)

Conehead2187 writes:
on Sep 06 2007 03:58 PM

I think the saddest thing about the original Street Fighter was that it was Raul Julia's last film...

(Reply to this)

eastern2western writes:
on Sep 06 2007 04:41 PM

This has crap writting all over it.
1) The director is a man who is reponsible for ruining Jet Li's possibility of an American action career. All of the films that are under his credit is actually directed by Corey Yuen and not by him. However, he always manages to screw up the fight scenes by americanizing them with shaky cameras, quick cuts and rap music
2) When is Hollywood going to learn its lession? Let me speak this loud and clearly ana hope every one can hear me. Great video games do not make good movies and the prime examples are super mario brothers, double dragon and doom. These three games are consider to be the blockbusters of the videogame industry, but their movie counter parts are box office flops.
3) If they hire a none-asian girl to play chun-li, I will personally protest this movie on its openining day. The name is asian and the character in the game is asian. If Hollywood decides to do some kind of David Carradine casting by using a white girl to play chun-li, I will personally gather my local asian friends to protest this stupid movie.

(Reply to this)