For those who’re a fan of seeing iconic combating sport franchises on the huge display, then 2026 is really your yr. Not solely is Warner Bros. releasing the second movie in its rebooted Mortal Kombat sequence, we’re additionally getting a model new Road Fighter film courtesy of Paramount Photos and Legendary Leisure. Hollywood has tried and didn’t adapt this colourful franchise in the previous, however will the third time be the appeal? Nicely, it might’t be any worse than 2009’s Road Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li.
We’ve lastly gotten our first good take a look at Road Fighter because of a brand new trailer launched throughout CinemaCon 2026. And if there’s anybody takeaway from this footage, it’s that Road Fighter appears to be like like a complete lot of enjoyable. It even opens with the countdown timer sound results from the video games. May we be the greatest combating sport film since 1995’s Mortal Kombat? For now, let’s break down all the characters we meet in the trailer and how they match collectively in this epic story of fellows and gals beating the snot out of one another.
Noah Centineo’s Ken Masters
Road Fighter could function an ensemble forged of fighters pulled from throughout the globe, however the trailer makes it fairly clear that this story will revolve closely round Noah Centineo’s Ken Masters and Andrew Koji’s Ryu. We’re not shocked, as this Dynamic Duo tends to be the focus in most incarnations of the Road Fighter franchise. Ken and Ryu have been there from the starting. They have been the solely playable characters in the authentic Road Fighter sport from 1987, and they’ve been sequence mainstays ever since.
In the video games, Ken and Ryu are lifelong buddies who each skilled beneath the similar grasp, Gouken. That’s why they put on totally different coloured variations of the similar martial arts uniform. However whereas Ryu is completely devoted to perfecting his combating craft, Ken is a little more freewheeling and sociable.
We’ll focus extra on Ryu in a bit, however for now, let’s dig in with Ken. The trailer reveals that the sport is ready in 1993, which appears to be an intentional nod to the authentic period of Road Fighter mania in the early ‘90s. We will see from this footage that Ken has grow to be a little bit of a star, even internet hosting his personal present on MTV. However that fame appears to have come at a heavy value. Ken is clearly a washed-up has-been who’d quite get drunk and belt out karaoke than hone his abilities as one among the world’s greatest fighters.
If something, we discover loads of similarities between Centineo’s Ken and Karl City’s Johnny Cage from Mortal Kombat II. Each are world-class fighters-turned-celebrities who’re arguably previous their prime, and each should show they’ve nonetheless obtained it after they enter the combating ring.
Ken options in a few cool Road Fighter Easter eggs in the trailer. We see him performing a number of iconic combating strikes from the video games, together with an compulsory Shoryuken punch, a rolling again throw, a Jinrai Kick from 2023’s Road Fighter 6, and axe-kicking a personality we assume is El Fuerte. In one other shot, we see him kicking and punching a automotive, a nod to these notorious bonus ranges the place gamers attempt to destroy a automotive with their knowledgeable combating strikes.
Andrew Koji’s Ryu
Now let’s flip our consideration to Ken’s BFF Ryu. The 2 characters are clearly having a little bit of a relationship disaster in the film. Whilst Ken has molded himself right into a drunken cable TV star, Ryu has seemingly retreated from the world and grow to be a modern-day martial arts hermit. Ryu appears joyful sufficient to be reunited along with his outdated buddy, however not Ken. His first intuition when he sees Ryu is to bust out a flying kick.
Ryu is the closest factor the Road Fighter franchise has to a principal character. Once more, he’s a top-tier fighter obsessive about perfecting his craft. However although he’s a good-natured warrior who’s all the time keen to satisfy new opponents and take a look at his abilities, Ryu additionally harbors a secret darkish facet. That will clarify why he’s in hiding as the film opens. Ryu could also be afraid of unleashing the true energy inside.
We get a style of that energy at the finish of the trailer after we see Ryu summon one among his iconic fireballs and shout the phrase “Hadouken!!!” Road Fighter could also be constructed round hand-to-hand fight, however lots of the fighters have superhuman talents they will carry to the battlefield.
Callina Liang’s Chun-Li
What would a Road Fighter film be with out the mighty Chun-Li becoming a member of Ryu and Ken? This time round, this lethal Chinese language fighter is performed by Callina Liang.
Chun-Li was launched in 1991’s Road Fighter II and has appeared in most of the video games since then. She’s portrayed as a talented warrior and Interpol agent who seeks revenge in opposition to M. Bison for the homicide of her father. However, as we all know from Raul Julia’s notorious rant in the authentic Road Fighter film, he’s killed an excellent many fathers over the years.
Right here, Chun-Li seems to be the catalyst that brings Ryu, Ken, and different fighters collectively to partake in a high-stakes martial arts event. Why she’s looking for out these elite world warriors isn’t solely clear, however it could all be a part of a plot to carry down M. Bison. What we do know is that she appears quite unimpressed with each Ryu and Ken. One is hiding from the world, the different is “a sideshow,” and neither resides as much as his true potential. Chun-Li goals to repair that.
The trailer drops one other amusing nod to the video games when Chun-Li meets Mel Jarnson’s Cammy and the latter makes a remark about Chun-Li’s thighs. One in all the hallmarks of Chun-Li’s character design from the video games is her extraordinarily muscular legs, and the film is clearly having some enjoyable with the indisputable fact that her fame precedes her. We additionally see her put these legs to good use when she busts out a Hundred Lightning Legs transfer.
David Dastmalchian’s M. Bison
David Dastmalchian is enjoying M. Bison, the character we’re assuming is the principal villain of the movie. Bison is unquestionably one among the most vital villains in the franchise, courting again to his function as the closing boss of Road Fighter II.
Bison is a tyrant with goals of world domination. He runs a legal group referred to as Shadaloo, one which manipulates world governments. He’s additionally the architect of the World Warrior event (therefore why it’s a bit odd that his nemesis Chun-Li appears to be recruiting for mentioned event).
If the film is something like the video games, we count on to see Bison attempt to recruit Ryu and presumably Ken to his trigger. He sees the darkish energy residing inside these warriors, an influence that may rival his personal “Psycho Energy.”
Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i’s Akuma
Bison might be the principal villain of the new film, however don’t rely out Roman Reigns’ character, Akuma. Akuma is one other main antagonist from the video games with a deep connection to each Ryu and Ken. Akuma is the topic of a lot fascination for Road Fighter followers, in half as a result of he was launched as a secret playable character in 1994’s Tremendous Road Fighter II Turbo.
Akuma’s title actually means “demon” or “satan” in Japanese, and he lives as much as that title. He’s the youthful brother of Ryu and Ken’s grasp Gouken, and he seeks to harness a darkish energy referred to as Satsui no Hado. Like Bison, he senses nice and horrible potential in Ryu.
We solely briefly see Reigns’ character in the trailer, however he’s proven battling Ryu and tapping into his personal darkish power to cost up his Empyrean’s Finish tremendous transfer. We count on that face-off to be one among the main set items of the movie. However will Akuma be a serious participant in this battle, or is that this extra a style of issues to come back in a doable sequel?
Cody Rhodes’ Guile
Road Fighter options one other acquainted WWE face in the type of Cody Rhodes, who performs the overconfident navy man Guile. Guile was the central character in the first Road Fighter film, however based mostly on the trailer it appears to be like like he serves in extra of a supporting function this time round. Count on loads of comedian aid from this dude, and not simply due to his ridiculous haircut.
Guile is one other sequence mainstay launched in 1991’s Road Fighter II, and like Chun-Li, he has a serious grudge in opposition to M. Bison for the demise of his accomplice, Charlie.
Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s Balrog
One in all the extra intriguing casting decisions in this film is 50 Cent, who’s been tapped to play elite boxer Balrog. If the costume and make-up don’t make it apparent, Balrog is closely modeled after real-world boxer Mike Tyson.
In the video games, Balrog is a disgraced fighter who joins Bison’s Shadaloo group. We see him battling Ken in the trailer, the place it appears to be like like he’ll be one among the first actual challenges this washed-up martial artist faces on the street to victory.
Jason Momoa’s Blanka
Road Fighter gained some actual star energy with the casting of Jason Momoa as Blanka. One other iconic character launched in 1991’s Road Fighter II, Blanka can be one among the most colourful and uncommon characters in the video games. As the story goes, he was as soon as a man named Jimmy who mutated after a aircraft crash and grew to become an outsized, green-skinned monster with the energy to generate electrical energy.
Eric André’s Don Sauvage
Any world martial arts event price its salt wants a superb announcer, and that’s the function being crammed by Eric André’s Don Sauvage. Sauvage is a flamboyant announcer and promoter impressed by professional wrestling character Jimmy Hart. It seems he’ll be offering play-by-play commentary for not less than a few of the matches in the movie.
Orville Peck’s Vega
It appears solely becoming that the Road Fighter character recognized for all the time sporting a masks could be performed by an actor notorious for not often displaying his face in public. Orville Peck is enjoying Vega, a sleek however very lethal fighter who wields Wolverine-like claws. Vega is called the “Spanish ninja,” as his combating model combines parts of ninjutsu and bullfighting.
Olivier Richters’ Zangief
Road Fighter characters don’t get a lot larger or extra imposing than Zangief, who’s performed right here by Olivier Richters. In the video games, Zangief is knowledgeable wrestler from Russia who’s decided to show his nation’s superiority by piledriving all challengers into submission.
We see a number of larger-than-life feats of energy from Richters’ character in the trailer, together with an Final Atomic Crusher Extremely Method from 2008’s Road Fighter IV, which makes it plain that the film is choosing a extra cartoonish model of violence.
Hirooki Goto’s E. Honda
We don’t see a lot of him in the trailer, however Hirooki Goto has been forged as grasp sumo wrestler E. Honda. Honda is one other long-running Road Fighter character who dates again to 1991’s Road Fighter II.
Vidyut Jammwal’s Dhalsim
Rounding out the forged of Road Fighter II legends is Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalsim. This yogi and mystic is one among the extra uncommon fighters in the video games, as he can stretch his limbs in unimaginable methods. He’s additionally a hardcore pacifist who solely participates in the event to boost cash for his impoverished village. We see Dhalism at a number of factors in the trailer, each combating in the ring and being recruited by Chun-Li.
Mel Jarnson’s Cammy
Cammy is arguably the hottest Road Fighter character to debut after that preliminary batch of World Warriors, so we’re in no way shocked to see her in the film. Cammy has confirmed crucial to the mythology of the sequence, as she’s been revealed to be one among M. Bison’s former assassins who loses her reminiscence and turns into an MI6 agent. We don’t know the way a lot the film will get into that backstory, although, as we primarily see Cammy performing as a foil to Chun-Li.
Andrew Schulz’s Dan Hibiki
Lastly, how may we neglect about Dan Hibiki, most likely the most divisive character in the Road Fighter franchise? Dan is performed by Andrew Schulz in the film. He, too, is a former pupil of Gouken, although not like Ryu and Ken, he’s just about all bluster and no substance. Don’t count on him to make it very far in this event. Really, it seems he could also be Ken’s supervisor in the movie, quite than an lively fighter himself.
These are the fighters you must know earlier than watching Road Fighter. What do you consider this upcoming online game film? Does the trailer have you ever able to bash automobiles along with your naked fists, or is that this one other catastrophe in the making? Tell us what you suppose in the feedback.
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Jesse is a mild-mannered workers author for IGN. Enable him to lend a machete to your mental thicket by following @jschedeen on BlueSky.