Why has the live-action 'Street Fighter' movie been delayed indefinitely? Speculations explored

The Street Fighter live-action adaptation might not see the light of day since Sony has removed it from their release calendar for 2026. The film was supposed to bring this popular game series to the big screen. Kitao Sakurai was roped in to direct this film. The Talk To Me directors, Michael and Danny Philippou were previously supposed to work on it with Legendary Entertainment.

It was expected to be out in the theaters on March 20, 2026, per Deadline. However, it has been delayed indefinitely. So, there is no update on when it will go on floors or be released. That must be disappointing for Street Fighter fans, who may have been looking forward to the movie. They must be curious as to why it is stuck in limbo, considering the amount of time they have been waiting for it to come to fruition.

Unfortunately, no reason has officially been revealed for the delay in the live-action Street Fighter adaptation. So, the fans are left to speculating the reasons and their impact on the once-scheduled adaptation. Although disappointing for the fans, there might be a technical, financial, or logistical reason as to why it is not in the cards, at least for the time being.

Possible reasons for the live-action Street Fighter movie's indefinite delay

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Street Fighter, the much-loved video game series, received a loose adaptation treatment all the way back in 1994. Steven E. de Souza helmed this film, which starred Jean-Claude Van Damme, Byron Mann, Ming-Na Wen, Raul Julia, and Kylie Minogue. The film was reportedly a commercial success. Some sources say that it is still making money for Capcom.

However, the film received a less-than-favorable response from critics. The audiences have not been kind to this campy film either, evident from its 20% Popcornmeter rating. So, the new adaptation may have been in the plans to appease the game's fans, who were looking for something better than the 1994 film.

Sony has taken the live-action adaptation off their schedule. They have also delayed the release of a shark thriller, starring Bridgerton star Phoebe Dynevor. Tentatively titled Shiver, the film was expected to be out on August 1, 2025. However, its release date has now been pushed ahead almost a year to July 3, 2026. The latter release date might have strategically made sense or it might have a logistical reason.

The Street Fighter adaptation might have faced similar issues. It might be because of the recent problems with big-budget movies not being able to earn back their costs. The makers may have some other commitments that are delaying this project. There might even be some troubles with the creative direction they want to take. Regardless, the Street Fighter fans will likely not get to see the live-action adaptation anytime soon.