WWE Superstar Cody Rhodes will play Guile in the upcoming Street Fighter reboot, and we now have our first shadowy glimpse (via GameFragger.com) at the current Undisputed WWE Champion as the iconic video game character.
The American Nightmare was recently written off television for a few weeks after being attacked by Drew McIntyre on SmackDown. That's allowed Rhodes to shoot his role in the movie, and this behind-the-scenes photo confirms he'll be rocking Guile's iconic haircut.
It's not a particularly realistic hairstyle, but props to this movie for embracing what we've seen in this video game franchise over nearly four decades. As for Rhodes, he may be best known for his in-ring work, but the fan-favourite former AEW star also has his fair share of acting experience after appearing in Arrow, Warehouse 13, and The Naked Gun.
Guile made his debut in 1991's Street Fighter II. A U.S. Air Force major, he fights to honour his fallen friend Charlie Nash and seek justice against the Shadaloo organisation. Known for his distinctive flat-top haircut and green military outfit, Guile is a disciplined, patriotic fighter with a strong sense of duty.
His fighting style blends martial arts with wrestling, featuring signature moves like the Sonic Boom, a projectile attack, and the Flash Kick, a powerful somersault kick. Jean-Claude Van Damme previously played the character in the 1994 movie.
The Street Fighter cast includes Andrew Koji as Ryu, Noah Centineo as Ken, Callina Liang as Chun-Li, 50 Cent as Balrog, Jason Momoa as Blanka, Orville Peck as Vega, David Dastmalchian as M. Bison, and WWE Superstars Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes as Akuma and Guile, respectively.
Kitao Sakurai (Bad Trip) is directing from a screenplay by Dalan Musson (Captain America: Brave New World).
Since Street Fighter's launch in 1987, the series has sold over 49 million units worldwide, becoming one of the most well-known and highest-grossing video game franchises of all time.
Along with films based on original IP, Legendary has a successful track record for adaptations, including leading video game franchises. Recent titles include the six Academy Award-winning Dune, not to mention multiple entries in its cinematic Monsterverse, and movies like Detective Pikachu and Enola Holmes.
Hollywood has attempted to adapt Street Fighter in the past, including a 1994 movie that bombed. It starred Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kylie Minogue, Ming-Na Wen, and the late Raul Julia, among others. A 2009 effort—Street Fighter: The Legend Of Chun-Li—featuring Smallville alum Kristin Kreuk also flopped.
The new Street Fighter movie is expected to be released in theaters next year.