There are good concepts. There are unhealthy concepts. After which there’s no matter Hollywood is doing with the Avenue Fighter reboot—an thought so unhinged, so gleefully chaotic, it is both a slow-motion trainwreck or the second coming of Scott Pilgrim. No in-between.
Let’s not bury the lede: There is no such thing as a author. No distributor. No script. And but—manufacturing begins this August in Australia. It’s like watching somebody leap out of a aircraft with no parachute, simply vibes.
And but…
Someway, this factor is alive.
We now know that David Dastmalchian (The Suicide Squad, Dune) has formally signed on to play M. Bison—the massive unhealthy dictator with psycho energy and a cape that screams “ultimate boss vitality.” Just final month, the position was circling Walter Goggins. (Apparently, the villain position is cursed. Or blessed. Nonetheless unclear.)
Cody Rhodes, recent off WWE stardom and a WrestleMania excessive, is in talks to painting Guile. Sure, the American navy flat-top with the sonic growth. That tracks. Barely.
However wait, the chaos solely begins there.
Chaos Roster: Who’s Who within the Mayhem
Let’s run it again. 50 Cent is enjoying Balrog and reportedly present process “intense martial arts coaching” as a result of he needs to do his personal stunts. That sentence alone belongs in a museum. There’s nonetheless time for him to faux a hamstring tear and pivot again to producing crime dramas and Vitamin Water commercials, however we’ll respect the dedication—delusional or not.
Jason Momoa as Blanka? He is going full inexperienced physique paint and jungle roars. Someway much less ridiculous than Noah Centineo as Ken, a casting so baffling it feels just like the punchline to a joke nobody instructed. Netflix’s resident good man goes toe-to-toe with Roman Reigns’ Akuma—a literal demon with fireballs and murderous intent. Okay, certain.
After which there’s Andrew Schulz as Dan Hibiki. Arguably probably the most annoying Avenue Fighter character ever created—equal elements comedian aid and punching bag. Schulz could be the one human able to pulling this off with out irony.
Oh, and Orville Peck—sure, the masked alt-country singer—is enjoying Vega. If this have been a parody, it might be too on the nostril. However it’s actual. Somebody wrote it down. Somebody solid it. And now it is canon.
Eric Andre is… a Ring Announcer? Why not. That is really the sanest casting selection in your entire manufacturing.
And in case you have been questioning if there’s anybody enjoying it straight, breathe: Andrew Koji (Warrior, Snake Eyes) is Ryu. And Callina Liang, in a uncommon nod to casting sanity, will painting Chun-Li.
Behind the Insanity: A Director with a Style for the Absurd
The man tasked with wrangling this circus? Kitao Sakurai, identified for guiding Dangerous Journey—a weird, hilarious hidden digicam comedy that concerned Eric Andre being tackled by actual individuals in public locations. The Philippou brothers (Speak to Me, Deliver Her Again) have been initially set to direct, however stepped down in 2024.
Sony was initially backing this $100M gamble. However shortly after Sakurai boarded, the studio pulled Avenue Fighter from its March 2026 launch slate. No updates since. We do not know in the event that they’re quietly ghosting the challenge or simply ready for this fever dream to finish. Both means, there is no confirmed launch date. But the cameras roll in August 2025.
The Level of No Return
No author. No launch date. A solid that feels curated by an algorithm tripping on absinthe. And a director whose declare to fame entails Tiffany Haddish, hidden cameras, and fart jokes.
And but—there’s part of me that is rooting for this mess.
As a result of in a sea of sterile, play-it-safe online game variations (Uncharted, anybody?), this one dares to be bonkers. Dares to fail. Dares to solid 50 Cent as a boxer and Orville Peck as a claw-wielding matador.
Perhaps it will be a catastrophe. However not less than it will not be boring.
Your transfer, Hollywood.