10 Movies To Watch If You Can't Wait For Street Fighter

Street Fighter is legendary in the fighting game space, with decades of history. Iconic fighters like Ryu and Ken are household names, and the franchise has rich lore spanning multiple games on several platforms. The source material seems like a perfect match for the silver screen, and live-action tie-ins already exist.

1994's Street Fighter stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as Guile. He's a Colonel tasked with taking down Bison (Raul Julia), a merciless dictator. The movie includes many other characters from the games, including Kylie Minogue as Chun Li. The 90s movie is fast and loose with the source material. Iconic fighters from the games certainly feature, though some are quite different from what fans may be used to. The tournament structure of the games is also strangely absent, replaced with more of a military action story.

Chun Li is another famous fighter, and even had her own movie in 2009's Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li. Kristin Kreuk starred as the franchise mainstay, though the film failed to impress fans or critics. The movie follows Chun Li's quest to take down Bison (Neal McDonough), but it arguably does not feel like Street Fighter. Some fighters from the games do feature, though Ryu and Ken are strangely absent.

The upcoming Street Fighter 2026 marks the franchise's triumphant return to the silver screen after an extended hiatus. The 90s film may be worth watching as a charming curiosity, but here are several other movies outside the franchise that Street Fighter fans will enjoy.

10 Only The Strong (1993)

One of the greatest draws of any fighting game is a strong cast showcasing unique fighting styles. Only The Strong doesn't feature a fighting tournament, but it does show off some stylish capoeira, starring Mark Dacascos as Louis.

Louis is an ex-military officer and is dismayed to find his old school neighborhood is now overrun with drugs and gang violence. He starts teaching capoeira at the school as a lifeline for troubled students, even if they are uncooperative at first. The benefits of learning a martial art quickly become obvious, though a local crime boss, who also knows capoeira, starts to take an interest.

Only the Strong is PG-13, and notably less aimed at adults than many movies on this list. Fans of the Street Fighter video game may also enjoy the capoeira showcase as Elena uses it, even if she is not a confirmed part of the roster in the upcoming movie.

9 Bloodsport (1988)

Many martial arts fans regard Bloodsport as a classic in the genre. Jean-Claude Van Damme is Frank Dux. He's a skilled fighter serving in the military, and he leaves to participate in the Kumite, a brutal underground fighting tournament.

The allure of many classic martial arts films is the training montage, and few are as iconic as in Bloodsport. Dux studies under Senzo Tanaka (Roy Chiao), who eventually teaches him the legendary Dim Mak technique. He takes those skills to the tournament alongside other fighters with mixed styles.

Bloodsport is arguably one of Van Damme's most iconic movies, built around a high-stakes fighting tournament. Bolo Yeung also plays a great antagonist in Chong Li, a dangerous fighter unafraid to play dirty to tip the odds in his favor.

8 Undisputed III: Redemption (2010)

Undisputed III: Redemption is a visceral martial arts movie starring Scott Adkins as Yuri Boyka. He's an inmate at an unforgiving prison and has already proven himself in the fighting circuit. He enters a tournament with the grand prize of freedom if he wins.

The problem is that Boyka sustained a serious leg injury during Undisputed II: Last Man Standing. He trains hard to become combat-ready, though news travels fast in prison, and his opponents are ready to take advantage of Boyka's debilitating injury.

Undisputed III: Redemption is full of brutal fight scenes in a grim environment where nobody is safe. Boyka's character arc is also remarkable, as he was the villain in the previous movie. Audiences interested in Boyka's story should note that his arc begins in Undisputed II, not the first movie.

7 The One (2001)

One particularly prominent part of the marketing for the upcoming Street Fighter movie is its respect for the source material. Combatants in Street Fighter have special moves, and while The One isn't about a tournament, it does feature a fighter with enhanced abilities that surpass any regular human.

Jet Li stars as multiple versions of the same character in The One, including the antagonist, Yulaw. The movie depicts a multiverse complete with multiple versions of each person scattered across it. Yulaw has killed all but one other version of himself, and their energy is split between the survivors. That one survivor, Gabe, must stop Yu-Law's plan to be the only one left standing before it's too late.

The One has a wild premise, but it oozes early-2000s charm, complete with a metal soundtrack. Jet Li's martial arts are also incredible, even with the fantasy twist.

6 The Karate Kid (1984)

The Karate Kid is another martial arts classic starring Ralph Macchio as Daniel LaRusso. He's just moved to LA and clashes with Johnny Lawrence (William Zabka), a Cobra Kai Karate student.

Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita) intervenes in a one-sided fight between the pair. Daniel convinces Mr. Miyagi to teach him to defend himself. He also trains for an upcoming martial arts tournament Johnny is attending, though we soon learn the lengths his sensei, Kreese (Martin Kove), will go to win.

The All Valley Karate tournament may have lower stakes than Street Fighter, though they certainly don't feel that way for Daniel. The Karate Kid is more grounded than the 2026 movie will be, but it's arguably required viewing for fans of martial arts films.

5 Mortal Kombat II (2026)

2026 is an exceptional year for fighting game fans, with Mortal Kombat II marking the franchise's return to the silver screen. The movie features multiple characters from the games, including Karl Urban as Johnny Cage in a grand tournament to decide the fate of Earthrealm.

Franchise villain Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford) stands in our heroes' way and has hatched a plan to ensure his victory. Earthrealm fighters must enter the tournament while an even more important battle unfolds behind the scenes.

Mortal Kombat II fully leans into the absurdity of the video games, and the Street Fighter trailers suggest it will do the same. The movie is suitably gory as fans of the game will expect, with plenty of humor, stylish fights, and respectful nods to the source material.

4 The Quest (1996)

The Quest is a lesser-known movie in Jean-Claude Van Damme's filmography, but it has a premise very similar to a Street Fighter tournament. A grand fighting competition is about to take place in a secret Tibetan city, and combatants from around the globe are preparing to compete for the grand prize.

Each combatant has a unique style. For example, one is a sumo wrestler, while another uses kung fu and mimics animals. Van Damme plays Christopher Dubois, a well-rounded fighter with Muay Thai training, who also competes in hopes of winning a huge golden dragon statue.

The fights in The Quest are more grounded than in Street Fighter. Nevertheless, the stakes are high, as Khan (Abdel Qissi), a skilled Mongolian fighter, seems to have no issue killing his opponents in the ring.

3 Kung Fu Hustle (2004)

Kung Fu Hustle fully embraces wild, over-the-top special moves and magical kung-fu abilities like few other movies do. Stephen Chow stars as Sing. He's a wannabe gangster who wants to join the Axe Gang with his sidekick, Bone (Tze-Chung Lam).

Sing attempts to intimidate the residents of Pig Sty Alley, but quickly realizes they aren't to be trifled with. He convinces the Axe Gang to pay them a visit, only to discover the Landlord and Landlady are incredibly powerful kung-fu masters. A battle between Pig Sty Alley and the Axe Gang ensues until the gang calls on an even deadlier fighter for help.

Special moves are an integral part of Street Fighter, from Ryu and Ken's iconic Hadouken to Bison's Psycho Crusher. Kung Fu Hustle is full of warriors with jaw-dropping abilities as Sing's motivations change throughout the movie.

2 Mortal Kombat (1995)

Much different from the newer films but still focused on many of the same characters and concepts, the original Mortal Kombat movie boasts a phenomenal cast, starring Robin Shou as Liu Kang.

Earthrealm's greatest warriors must battle the forces of Outworld in a Mortal Kombat tournament. The fate of the world is at stake as Liu Kang teams up with Johnny Cage (Linden Ashby) and Sonya Blade (Bridgette Sampras). Their opponents are iconic characters from the Mortal Kombat universe, including Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa's brilliant portrayal of Shang Tsung.

Mortal Kombat is remarkable as a video game adaptation and a fantasy action movie. Fans of the games will love it, but the movie is strong enough that even newcomers will find plenty to enjoy. The fight scenes are full of respectful nods to the games, something which the upcoming Street Fighter movie may hope to emulate based on the trailers.

1 Enter The Dragon (1973)

Many martial arts fans would agree that Enter the Dragon is one of the greatest martial arts movies of all time. Fights are serious and grounded in the 1973 film, though Bruce Lee's speed and finesse are just as jaw-dropping as any Street Fighter fireball.

Bruce Lee stars as Lee. He's a skilled fighter, and authorities request that he attend a martial arts tournament on a secluded island to gather evidence on its owner, Mr. Han (Shih Kien), who they suspect is a drug lord. Lee has his own motivations for participating, as do the other fighters. Han also has an ulterior motive for holding the tournament.