Street Fighter is the number one movie in North America, but its goofy tone has split fans of Capcom’s fighting game franchise. Now director Kitao Sakurai says a darker, grounded version was never on the cards — and he wouldn’t have gotten the job if he had pitched one.
(Credits: Legendary / IGN)
Why the Street Fighter Movie Embraced Silliness
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Sakurai explained that the studio behind the film, Legendary, specifically wanted the absurdity he became known for through The Eric Andre Show and Bad Trip. Producer Cale Boyter, he said, “really held the torch for this vision of Street Fighter that had a gonzo energy to it.”
Sakurai pointed to the spiritual nature of Street Fighter and the fact that it’s “not gory” as natural reasons to lean into the fun: “There’s a silliness to it, and there’s an absurdity to the world and the characters and how they interact.”
Street Fighter: The Batman Begins Version That Never Happened
The director was blunt about what would have happened if he had pitched the “Batman Begins of Street Fighter movies”: “We, for sure, wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”
His philosophy, drawn from years of chaotic comedy, is that “sometimes things don’t necessarily need to make sense for you to lean in and love them.” If an element is so ridiculous it doesn’t track narratively, it can still fit when it serves the film’s overall energy and feeling.
The gamble seems to be paying off: critics may have panned the film, but audiences are enjoying it — and with the number one spot at the domestic box office, Legendary’s absurd vision is laughing all the way to the bank.
Also Read: Street Fighter Tops the Box Office With $51 Million Opening Weekend Amid Lackluster Reviews, Tekken 6 Rollback Netcode Mod Sparks Fury From Japanese Players
Source: IGN — read the full story there.
