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Callina Liang Brings the Heat to the ‘Street Fighter’ Red Carpet, and the Fight Is Just Getting Started

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Every video game adaptation has a make-or-break moment, and for ‘Street Fighter’ it may come down to one character. Chun-Li is among the most recognizable fighters in gaming history, and whoever plays her carries a lot of fan expectation. This week, Callina Liang took her place in the spotlight as the film arrived on the red carpet.

Paramount hosted the Los Angeles premiere on Monday, October 12, at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Liang attended alongside co-stars Noah Centineo and Andrew Koji, posing for photos in a cream, embellished two-piece set while Centineo wore a black leather jacket and jeans and Koji went with a dark suit. The trio stood in front of the film’s blue-and-orange backdrop, with Capcom and Legendary branding behind them.

The premiere marks the final stretch before the movie hits theaters on October 16. Liang plays Chun-Li, the mysterious fighter who sets the whole story in motion. As the star at the center of the film’s plot, she was one of the faces of the night.

The story is set in 1993, the same year ‘Street Fighter II‘ conquered arcades worldwide. Estranged fighters Ryu, played by Koji, and Ken Masters, played by Centineo, are thrown back into combat when Chun-Li recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament. The official description calls it a brutal clash of fists, fate and fury, with a deadly conspiracy lurking behind the battle royale.

That makes Chun-Li the catalyst. Without her, the 2 old rivals would not be forced to face each other and the demons of their past. It is a plot role that puts Liang in nearly every major sequence.

Liang was cast in June 2025, along with Centineo, Koji, Jason Momoa, Roman Reigns and Orville Peck. To prepare for Chun-Li, she trained daily in martial arts including taekwondo and Muay Thai. In a franchise built on kicks and combos, authenticity in the fight scenes was a priority.

Her costume has also drawn attention. The outfits worn by Liang, Koji and Centineo as Chun-Li, Ryu and Ken were put on display at Tokyo Game Show earlier this year, a sign of how closely the production has worked with Capcom to appeal to the franchise’s core fans.

Beyond the 3 leads, the cast reads like a crossover event. Momoa plays Blanka, 50 Cent plays Balrog and Reigns plays Akuma, while David Dastmalchian takes on M. Bison and Cody Rhodes is Guile. Eric André plays a new character, Don Sauvage, and Andrew Schulz plays Dan Hibiki.

The roster also includes Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalsim, Orville Peck as Vega and Olivier Richters as Zangief. Mel Jarnson, Hirooki Goto, Alexander Volkanovski and Rayna Vallandingham round out a group that mixes actors, comedians and professional fighters. Many of them joined Liang at the premiere.

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Kitao Sakurai, known for ‘Bad Trip’ and ‘The Eric Andre Show’, directed the film. It was filmed for IMAX, shot in part in Australia, and is the first release under Legendary’s new distribution deal with Paramount. The film is rated PG-13 and runs about 2 hours.

It is the third live-action feature based on the franchise and the first big-screen adaptation since the 1994 film, a campy cult favorite that critics did not embrace. This time, the tone is described as action comedy, which suggests a mix of over-the-top fights and humor. That balance will be crucial in winning over both gamers and general audiences.

Reaction to the cast has been mixed. Some fans have called the lineup unusual, and critics of the casting have worried about whether the film can balance the goofy spirit of the games with moments that feel serious. Others have been excited by the mix of wrestlers, rappers and comedians, which gives the film a distinct identity.

For Liang, the premiere is also a personal milestone. Playing an iconic character in a major studio release, with a premiere that drew some of the biggest names in entertainment, is a breakthrough moment. How audiences respond to her Chun-Li will be one of the most closely watched parts of the film.

What are you most excited about in the new 'Street Fighter' movie?

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