3 Reasons You Need To Watch 1994's Street Fighter Before The 2026 Reboot

Published Oct 14, 2026, 8:00 PM EDT

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Street Fighter is a legendary gaming franchise, with a legacy spanning almost 40 years. The fighting game series found success in arcades, becoming a huge hit alongside other genre heavyweights. Street Fighter also found success on home consoles, and this is a trend that continues even today with Street Fighter 6.

As Street Fighter is such a longstanding franchise, it has multigenerational appeal. With such a legacy, it's only natural that some characters have become iconic. Even non-gaming audiences have heard of Ryu and Ken. Casual gamers can likely name most of the original cast, including almost everyone in the 2026 movie, even if they don't play.

The new Street Fighter movie is actually the second live-action Street Fighter movie. The first premiered in 1994 and starred Jean-Claude Van Damme as Guile. The late Raul Julia gave an exceptional performance as M. Bison, and Kylie Minogue also played Cammy. It's fair to say that the 90s movie plays fast and loose with the source material. Many fan favorites are present, though Guile is the star instead of Ryu and Ken.

Critics were not kind to the original live-action film. It makes some wild story and character decisions and the plot is also quite different from what fans of the games may expect. Nevertheless, Street Fighter 1994 is arguably worth watching if you love the franchise, but there are other reasons to check it out too.

Street Fighter 1994 Is Full Of Great Quotes

Street Fighter makes some questionable choices with the source material. The title is more of a political military action movie, and it doesn't even feature a fighting tournament. Character motivations also differ from what fans may expect, especially for Ryu (Byron Mann) and Ken (Damian Chapa).

Still, the movie isn't without great performances and set pieces. It's also full of oddly quotable one-liners, with many from M. Bison himself. Julia's Bison is a massive highlight of the 90s movie, and much of his dialogue is incredible. In one scene, Chun-Li tells Bison that he attacked her village and murdered her father. Bison coolly replies, "For you, the day Bison graced your village was the most important day of your life. For me, it was Tuesday." It's a savage exchange, and he's not the only character responsible for some exceptional quotes.

Van Damme's Guile also delivers some brilliant lines. During the movie, Guile plans to reach Bison by boat. He addresses his troops, saying, "I'm gonna get on my boat, and I'm going upriver. And I'm gonna kick that son of a ***** Bison's ass so hard that the next Bison wannabe is gonna feel it!" It's not a typical rousing speech, but it's oddly on-brand for the movie.

We May Never See Fan Favorite Street Fighter Characters Portrayed The Same Way Again

We previously mentioned that Street Fighter 1994 makes some strange choices with its beloved character roster. Some fighters barely resemble their video game counterparts, while others behave entirely differently. It almost feels disrespectful to the source material, but that arguably makes the movie even more fascinating for fans of the games.

Dhalsim is a franchise mainstay, known for his stretchy limbs, teleportation, and fire-breathing antics. He's Dr. Dhalsim (Roshan Seth) in the 90s movie. The character looks nothing like he does in the games, and he's not even a fighter. Blanka (Robert Mammone) has a different backstory from established lore, as Bison turns one of Guile's friends into the iconic green beast.

Ryu and Ken play an important role in the story, though they aren't the main characters. Chun-Li is also a reporter instead of an Interpol agent. It may seem like a strange reason to recommend the movie, but it's fascinating to see director Steven E. de Souza's vision for fan-favorite fighters.

Raul Julia's M.Bison Remains Phenomenal Decades Later

Raul Julia's M. Bison is a big part of what makes the 90s Street Fighter so watchable even today. His portrayal of the famous dictator is mesmerizing. He looks the part, and he steals the show during every scene he's in with his grandiose, theatrical performance.

Some of Bison's dialogue is delightfully silly, but Julia makes it work because he reads those lines with absolute conviction. He fully commits to every speech, and his scenes are among the most memorable in the entire film.

Guile fakes his own death in the movie, and Bison chastises Sagat (Wes Studi) for not realizing, saying, "His death was designed to ingratiate his spies with you. I guess you didn't see that, did you?" He says the line while covering his eye with his hand, mocking Sagat's eye patch.

Julia's performance extends to his mannerisms and maniacal laugh, to his posture and how he walks. His performance is so strong that even moviegoers who don't enjoy Street Fighter will likely find something to enjoy, and audiences are still talking about Julia's M. Bison decades later.