Today, video game adaptations for film and television deliver impressive results that satisfy fans and attract new audiences. It wasn’t always like this, and old-school gamers remember those embarrassing episodes in movie theaters with productions that didn’t live up to expectations. Some of those projects became a meme, so bad they were good, and one of them is the Street Fighter movie from 1994 that, 30 years later, still makes money for Capcom.

The Street Fighter movie continues to generate profits for Capcom after 30 years

According to a report by Time Extension, Capcom's recent financial report had a peculiar mention that obviously did not stand out in its respective section but was part of the list of everything that brings money to the Japanese company. It is the Street Fighter movie that premiered in 1994 and, according to the company, still brings in millions of yen, which can mean that every year it receives tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars from this controversial film, not bad for a release from 30 years ago.

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Street Fighter from 1994

Despite being panned by critics at the time, the Street Fighter movie knew how to capitalize on the franchise fever following the success of Street Fighter II in Arcades and consoles, hence it grossed $99 million with a budget of $35 million, meaning it generated profits from its theatrical release, and the rest was history, financially positive, for Capcom.

This film focused on the Western market, hence Guile’s character, played by Jean-Claude Van Damme, had more weight in the story as part of his duel against M. Bison, a role performed by Raúl Julia. The movie featured, in one way or another, the characters known up to that point in Super Street Fighter II, though there were some absences.

Currently, there is a new project in production, a live-action Street Fighter movie by Legendary Entertainment, so the IP might make peace with cinema after 3 decades.

Stay tuned here, on LEVEL UP.