The new “Street Fighter” film has fallen just short of matching the worldwide gross of the 1994 original, and it is leaving theaters fast enough to make passing that mark unlikely. Legendary’s reboot had collected an estimated $99.2 million globally by Nov. 10, according to figures compiled by Box Office Mojo. That is a hair below the $99.4 million the Jean-Claude Van Damme version earned 32 years ago. The new film’s total splits into $57.4 million in North America and $41.7 million overseas.
The theater count shows how quickly the run has faded. The film opened Oct. 16 in 3,575 locations and took $30.7 million domestically. Its second weekend brought a drop of roughly 70%, and by the third weekend Paramount had cut 750 screens. Another 1,065 disappeared over the Nov. 6-8 weekend, leaving 1,760. The film earned about $2.15 million in those three days and fell to eleventh place. Its per-theater average sank to $1,221, from $8,608 on opening weekend. Counting all cuts, roughly 1,700 theaters have dropped it since release.
The math works against the studio. With a reported production budget of $82 million before marketing, trade analysts estimate the film needs $164 million to $205 million worldwide to break even. Some outlets have described the film as profitable, a claim that rests on a lower budget figure and ignores marketing and exhibitor shares. Streaming and home video revenue could narrow the gap.
Critics offered little help. The film holds 41% on Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus praises its affection for the games but cites “incoherent storytelling and juvenile humor.” The cast includes Andrew Koji as Ryu, Noah Centineo as Ken, Callina Liang as Chun-Li, and Jason Momoa and David Dastmalchian in supporting roles. Reports say the actors signed on for a trilogy, but a sequel depends on Paramount’s decision.
The 1994 film shows how a poorly reviewed adaptation can still pay off. It cost about $35 million and grossed nearly three times that. Capcom reported a return of 15.5 billion yen, about $165 million, once home media sales were included. Critics and fans panned that version for its campy tone and loose fidelity to the games. The new film’s weak run leaves Paramount, which found its video game success with “Sonic the Hedgehog,” without a second franchise in the genre.
