‘Street Fighter’ Posts Franchise-Best Preview Night Despite Rotten Reviews
Video game adaptations have a complicated relationship with critics and audiences. Sometimes fans show up in droves despite lukewarm reviews, and sometimes the early buzz is as good as it gets. ‘Street Fighter’ has now stepped into that ring, and its first numbers are in.
The Paramount and Legendary reboot, directed by Kitao Sakurai and starring Noah Centineo, Andrew Koji and Callina Liang, opened Friday in more than 3,500 North American theaters, including IMAX and RealD 3D. It is a PG-13 adaptation of Capcom’s fighting game series, and it is the first release under Paramount’s global distribution deal with Legendary. Legendary and Capcom co-financed it with an $82 million budget.
The road to opening day wasn’t smooth. Critics weren’t kind, with the Tomatometer settling around 47%, and presales were reported to be running at about half the pace of ‘Mortal Kombat II’.
Despite tough reviews, #StreetFighter is poised to score the biggest opening of the franchise & #2 BIGGEST ever for fighting video game adaptations, as PG-13 #StreetFighterMovie grossed solid 4M on THU Previews at US #BoxOffice (only below #MortalKombat2’s 5.2M). If not frontloaded by hardcore fanboys like most videogame adaptations recently, a 30M-35M 3-day opening weekend could be in the cards in the U.S. what would be the #2 biggest opening ever for a fighting game adaptation domestically & by far the biggest for #StreetFighter films, crushing 1994 #StreetFighter’s 6.9M & 2009 #TheLegendofChunLi’s 4.7M opening weekends.
— Luiz Fernando (@Luiz_Fernando_J) October 16, 2026
Even so, the film started with a solid $4 million from Thursday previews, according to Deadline and Variety. Showtimes began at 2 p.m., and there was also a 7 p.m. fan event. That puts it behind ‘Mortal Kombat II’, which earned $5.2 million in previews before opening to $38.5 million in May, and below the $8.8 million that ‘Resident Evil’ earned on its preview night in September.
For perspective, GameSpot noted that ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ made even less on its first day, with $3 million, and still became a hit. That makes the preview total a respectable starting point rather than a warning sign. It is also the second-biggest preview night ever for a fighting video game adaptation, behind only the ‘Mortal Kombat’ sequel.
The numbers are especially striking in the context of the franchise’s history. The 1994 ‘Street Fighter’ opened to $6.9 million for the weekend, and 2009’s ‘Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li’ debuted to $4.7 million on its way to a $12.7 million worldwide total. If the new movie hits its projections, it will easily be the franchise’s biggest opening.
Forecasts have been all over the map. Several outlets expect a domestic opening between $25 million and $35 million, and tracking has pointed to something north of $30 million. Paramount reportedly projects a figure in the mid-$30 millions, while the lowest estimates dipped to $22 million and one outlier tracking service floated $43 million.
A $30 million to $35 million opening would be the second-biggest ever for a fighting game adaptation in the U.S., behind only the ‘Mortal Kombat’ sequel. Worldwide, the film is projected to reach around $70 million, with an international debut in the mid-$30 millions. That would make for a decent start, but analysts have noted that the $82 million budget means the opening weekend alone cannot establish profitability.
The key question is whether the movie is front-loaded. Hardcore fans often drive preview nights, and early ticket sales for video game movies can be a misleading signal. JoBlo’s Chris Bumbray expects a figure around $30 million but warned that the film could drop off quickly.
The audience side of the equation is more encouraging. The Popcornmeter on Rotten Tomatoes has been in the 80s, which could help the film hold on if word of mouth stays strong. That gap between fans and critics is familiar for this genre, and ‘Mortal Kombat’ films have followed a similar pattern.
Critics have said the movie ends abruptly and spends too much time setting up a sequel, while others praised its colorful, affectionate approach and its action sequences. Some of those reviews suggest the film may be most satisfying to viewers already invested in the characters, which is exactly the crowd driving the opening.
PERFECT! Watch the New Trailer for Street Fighter, hitting theaters everywhere October 16. https://t.co/jAAPf1k9jf
— Street Fighter Movie (@Street_Fighter) September 1, 2026
‘Street Fighter’ is expected to lead the weekend comfortably. A24’s Elizabeth Holmes documentary ‘You Can See Everything’ earned $1.75 million in previews, while ‘Whalefall’ and ‘Sense and Sensibility’ each took in about $1 million. The documentary is playing in far fewer theaters, so it isn’t a direct competitor for the top spot.
Sunday’s actuals will tell the full story. If ‘Street Fighter’ lands in the $30 million range, it will have done what no film in its franchise has ever managed, and it will give Paramount and Legendary a reason to start talking about a sequel.
Will you watch the new Street Fighter movie despite its mixed reviews?
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