If you’re a fan of the Street Fighter franchise, you’ll be well aware that both live-action attempts to bring the fantastic beat ’em up to the screen have failed to come anywhere close to doing the blockbuster video game series justice. 1994’s Jean-Claude Van Damme / Kylie Minogue combo Street Fighter was appalling, and although it was virtually impossible for things to get any worse, the team behind 2009’s Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li gave it a pretty good go.
Fortunately, things may be looking up as the creator of the rather superb fan film StreetFighter: Legacy – Joey Ansah – has signed a deal with Capcom to develop a live-action series entitled Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist… and if you’ve seen StreetFighter: Legacy, you’ll know that’s good news. The announcement was made during the San Diego Comic-Con yesterday, with the subsequent press release containing a short synopsis…
This thrilling, multi layered series will take the audience back to the formative years of the iconic characters, Ryu and Ken, as they live a traditional warrior’s life in secluded Japan. The boys are, unknowingly, the last practitioners of the ancient fighting style known as ‘Ansatsuken’ (Assassin’s Fist). The series follows them as they learn about the mysterious past of their Master, Gouken, and the tragic and dark legacy of the Ansatsuken style. Can their destiny be changed…or will history repeat itself?
“Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist will be what fans have been waiting for. Legacy was a taster; a glimpse of what a live-action Street Fighter should be. “This takes the story right back to the start – the origins and motivations of Ryu, Ken, Gouken and Akuma. This will become the definitive back-story from which further epic adventures will follow,” says Ansah, who has written the series with Christian Howard (Ken from Legacy). “Our priority is to stay true to the appearance, fighting techniques and canon of the Street Fighter game. At the same time we’ve managed to make this an emotion and character driven story, which will surprise viewers who might just be expecting a super faithful fight fest!”
Here’s the Comic-Con announcement video:
Street Fighter: Assassin’s Fist is set to arrive in 2013.
Originally published July 13, 2012. Updated December 6, 2019.
