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The upcoming Street Fighter film, based on the video game series of the same name, will revolve around the World Warrior Tournament, a competition for martial artists from around the world. The trailers have already revealed several fights that will take place, including Ryu versus Ken, Guile versus Vega, and Chun-Li versus Juli, but the filmmakers surely have some surprises in store.
For fans of the Street Fighter games, certain matchups would be particularly thrilling to see on the big screen, either because of connections between the characters involved or because they would serve as references to other media. Even if the upcoming film does not have time for all of these fights, there is hope that they could appear in a Street Fighter sequel, especially if this adaptation proves as successful as the recent Mortal Kombat films.
Joe Is One of the First Street Fighters Ryu Ever Defeated
The upcoming Street Fighter film will be primarily based on the game Street Fighter II, but it will also feature a few characters from other installments. By far the most surprising inclusion is the kickboxer Joe, a random enemy from the original Street Fighter game who did not return for any of the sequels.
In the games' lore, Ryu canonically defeated Joe and went on to win the inaugural World Warrior Tournament. The film trailers have shown only a single shot of Joe, hyping himself up before a match against an unknown opponent. It would be fun if this was part of a flashback to the earlier competition in which he lost to Ryu.
Though fans do not remember the first Street Fighter nearly as fondly as they do Street Fighter II, the game that started it all deserves some love on the big screen. A brief showdown between Ryu and Joe would be the perfect way to acknowledge the game. The film could even give Ryu his retro costume for this scene, complete with white headband and red shoes.
Chun-Li and Cammy Should Duel While They Have a Chance
The trailers for the Street Fighter film have established a rivalry between Chun-Li and Cammy White, but there has not yet been any indication that they will actually trade blows. Chun-Li and Cammy have long been associated with one another in the Street Fighter games since they were the series' first two female characters, both debuting in versions of Street Fighter II.
The film's depiction of Cammy is based on the prequel game Street Fighter Alpha, in which she served the villainous M. Bison as one of his bodyguards known as Dolls. However, in all other Street Fighter entries, Cammy has been a hero.
In fact, she and Chun-Li have usually been portrayed as close friends. For example, they were tag partners in the crossover game Street Fighter X Tekken. If the live-action version of Cammy is to undergo a similar redemption arc, the film should make the most of her temporary evil alignment by showcasing a fight between the franchise's most iconic women.
Bison and Akuma Are Rival Forces of Evil in Street Fighter
Bison will be the main antagonist of the upcoming film, but the trailers have barely featured him. While the obvious choice of opponent for Bison would be a hero like Ryu or Chun-Li, the film could instead take a cue from the game Super Street Fighter II Turbo by pitting him against a fellow villain.
Akuma debuted in this version of Street Fighter II as a secret character. If the player fulfilled certain requirements, he would crash the final match of World Warrior Tournament, dispatching Bison with his famous Raging Demon attack and replacing him as the final boss.
Perhaps a similar plot twist will occur in the film, explaining why Paramount Pictures has shared so little footage of Bison in battle. Switching focus to Akuma in the final act would help set the story apart from that of the 1994 Street Fighter film, in which Raul Julia's memorable iteration of Bison was the main antagonist throughout.
Chun-Li and Ken Could Recreate an Unforgettable Fighting Game Event
Chun-Li and Ken Masters have little connection in Street Fighter's lore, but they provide the perfect opportunity to reference the most iconic moment in the history of competitive fighting games. At the semifinals of the 2004 Evolution Championship Series, Chun-Li player Justin Wong faced off against Ken player Daigo Umehara in Street Fighter III: Third Strike.
Just when it seemed Wong was about to win, Umehara pulled off a technique previously thought impossible; he perfectly parried Chun-Li's Houyoku-Sen super attack, perfectly timing fifteen inputs within a window of about 0.16 seconds each. This clip, along with the audience’s thunderous reaction, was titled "Evo Moment #37," and it went down in gaming history.
Since the Street Fighter film will focus on Ken proving himself after a fall from glory, an impressive scene in which he deflects Chun-Li's attacks would be the perfect culmination of his character arc. This clip was already acknowledged in the form of a poster for the upcoming film, so there is hope that Evo Moment #37 could be recreated in live-action.
A Match Between Guile and Blanka Would Reference Street Fighter's Cinematic Past
In the lore of the Street Fighter games, Guile and Blanka have nothing to do with each other, but the 1994 Street Fighter film turned Blanka into Guile's best friend, Charlie. Rather than gaining his powers after crashing in the Brazilian jungle, this version of Blanka had been experimented upon and brainwashed by Bison’s scientists. The 1995 Street Fighter cartoon also used this altered backstory.
Though the upcoming film will hopefully portray Blanka in a more game-accurate manner, a clash between him and Guile would be an entertaining nod to the older adaptation. There is a precedent for the new Street Fighter film alluding to the original, because the second trailer included a photograph of Ryu and Ken wearing the outfits of their 1994 counterparts.
Guile and Blanka would also be an interesting matchup beyond the reference. The film seems to be portraying Guile as an ordinary human without special abilities, as he expressed surprise at Ryu's ability to produce "a fireball," so he would need a clever solution to overcome a hulking beast-man with electric powers.
