Your favorite video game characters are back on screen this week with Street Fighter dropping in theaters on Friday. Director Kitao Sakurai (The Eric Andre Show, Beef) is at the helm for this edition of the popular combat game-turned-movie, and this version is heavy on the action and pays homage to the characters' most iconic moves.
For the cast, their connection to the game was a big draw to the project.
"I grew up playing the game. I played with with my cousins. They had one of the original Street Fighter II cabinet games," Noah Centineo, who plays Ken, told For The Win in a recent interview. "So whenever I go to their house, I would play it. I've always loved the game. I love the character of Ken. I love how rich the world of Street Fighter is."
Along with Centineo, Street Fighter boasts a cast that features Callina Liang, Andrew Koji, David Dastmalchian, Jason Momoa, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Orville Peck and Eric André.
"It was a dream come true and an honor. I just wanted to do the best I could," Liang said of playing Chun-Li. "I changed my life changed completely. It was like from my diet to the way I train to training the martial arts. Jon Valera, the stunt coordinator, I think he captured all of our signature moves so well, and it looks incredible on the screen."
Comedian Andrew Schulz, who plays Ken's sidekick Dan Hibiki in the movie, had a bit of a full-circle moment after playing the game endlessly as a kid.
"It's more surreal. Like you can't imagine. I spent so much time playing Street Fighter as a kid. It's absurd," Schulz stated. "Then you're in the movie, and while you're in the movie, you're like, 'This is crazy. We're making a movie.'"
It wasn't all about game nostalgia, however. Centineo also highlighted the fact that Legendary Entertainment was responsible for the project.
"What really got me to be super excited was the fact that Legendary, the studio, is the studio that's making the movie. You know, this is the studio that has brought us Godzilla, Dune, Minecraft," Centenio elaborated. "Legendary knows how to make a [expletive] movie, dude."
When is the Street Fighter premiere date?
Street Fighter is in theaters on October 16.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: 'Street Fighter' cast talk 'dream come true' of starring in video game film
