It turns out Nexus Point News was right as 50 Cent will be stepping into the ring as Balrog in the upcoming live-action Street Fighter film. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the casting earlier today, following heavy hints from 50 Cent himself on social media.
Balrog, a longtime member of M. Bison’s Shadaloo inner circle, the character is a nod to real-life boxing legend Mike Tyson and is best known as a powerhouse bruiser. A former heavyweight boxing champ, Balrog doesn't kick, he doesn’t need to. His raw strength and aggressive fighting style make him one of the franchise’s most dangerous characters.
In other casting news, Deadlinehas revealed that Street Fighter’s resident comic relief, Dan Hibiki, is also joining the film’s roster. He’ll be portrayed by comedian Andrew Schulz (White Men Can’t Jump, Tires).
Dan was originally created by Capcom as a tongue-in-cheek parody of SNK’s Art of Fighting characters Ryo Sakazaki and Robert Garcia. Intended to poke fun at their similarities to Ryu and Ken, Dan is the ultimate underdog, rocking a pink gi, exaggerated fighting stances, and the notoriously feeble “Gadoken” fireball that barely travels half a foot.
Though his skills are severely lacking, Dan remains wildly overconfident, constantly bragging about his self-created martial art, Saikyo-ryu ("The Strongest Style"), which he teaches in a mostly empty dojo.
Additional confirmed cast members for the film include:
- Noah Centineo as Ken
- Andrew Koji as Ryu
- WWE's Roman Reigns as Akuma
- Jason Momoa as Blanka
- Callina Liang as Chun-Li
- Orville Peck as Vega
Notable Street Fighter characters still yet to be cast include Guile, M. Bison, Cammy, Zangief, and Sagat.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, filming is scheduled to kick off this August in Australia. The project is being co-developed and co-produced by Legendary Entertainment in collaboration with Capcom, marking a major push to bring one of gaming’s most legendary franchises back to the big screen.
At the helm is director Kitao Sakurai, best known for the surreal prank comedy Bad Trip. He’ll be working from a screenplay written by Dalan Musson, whose credits include Captain America: Brave New World, signaling a blend of offbeat style and blockbuster experience behind the camera.
Capcom’s Street Fighter franchise stands tall as one of the most enduring and influential fighting game series of all time. Despite its status in the gaming world, however, Street Fighter’s live-action adaptations have left much to be desired.
The 1994 film, led by Jean-Claude Van Damme and Kylie Minogue, was met with lukewarm reviews and modest box office results, though it has since developed a devoted cult following for its campy charm. On the other hand, 2009’s Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li was a critical and commercial misfire that most fans would rather forget.
As momentum builds on this latest adaptation, be sure to stay tuned to our sister video game site, GameFragger.com for ongoing coverage. With production just around the corner, expect casting announcements and additional details to surface in the weeks ahead.