A television adaptation of the popular video game franchise is in development, and it’s likely to meet the expectations of a generation of Street Fighter fans. The team behind the live-action web series Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist will produce the new TV series with enthusiastic support from Capcom.
The 12-episode Assassin’s Fist was released on Machinima’s YouTube channel in 2014 by Joey Ansah, Jacqueline Quella, and Mark Wooding to an overwhelmingly positive reception. Since then, it’s been made available on DVD and Blu-Ray, as well as on IFC Films and Netflix.
The web series got more than 16 million views on its initial release and is often regarded by fans as the most faithful representation of the beloved characters. The idea for the series began as a fan film back in 2010 with a three-minute short called Street Fighter: Legacy.
Mark Gordon of Entertainment One told Deadline he wants to deliver something that gamers have been clamoring for. “Street Fighter is a global tour-de-force franchise, having garnered immense worldwide commercial success and built a vast devoted fanbase that has only grown through its 30-year legacy,” he said. “We are thrilled to be teaming up with Joey, Jacqueline, and Mark, who are already so deeply connected to this brand, to bring this adored story to television audiences everywhere.”
The show will use the World Warrior events in the Street Fighter II sequel as inspiration, following Ryu, Ken, Chun-Li, and Guile in their struggle against M. Bison. Fighting tournaments organized by Shadaloo will likely be pivotal events in the series.
No other characters have been announced, but the original roster is a good place to start. “A particular strength of Street Fighter is the wide range of ethnically diverse characters and powerful women featured in the game,” said Gordon. “It will allow us to build an inclusive and engaging TV universe.”
“They have the credentials to help us launch a faithful adaptation of Street Fighter as a major TV series,” said Yoshinori Ono of Capcom. After the success of the Machinima series, Capcom announced that a World Warrior sequel was in development. That’s likely what evolved into the series announcement.
The game has had some negatively received adaptations like Street Fighter: The Movie and The Legend of Chun-Li, so with a dedicated fan following and long-time martial artists helming the project, this could be the Street Fighter experience we’ve been waiting decades to see.
