STREET FIGHTER: Jason Momoa In Talks For Blanka; WWE Superstar Roman Reigns To Play Akuma

We have some very interesting casting updates for the live-action Street Fighter movie here, with Aquaman star Jason Momoa reportedly in talks to play Blanka, and Roman Reigns up for Akuma...

News

By MarkCassidy - May 21, 2025 07:05 PM EST

Filed Under: Street Fighter

Source: Via GameFragger.com

Despite rumors that the movie had been shelved, we recently got word that Legendary and Capcom's planned live-action Street Fighter reboot would be moving forward with Kitao Sakurai (Bad Trip) at the helm, and the casting process has now begun.

After originally being reported by Nexus Point News, Deadline has now confirmed that Andrew Koji and Noah Centineo are in talks to play the co-lead roles of Ryu and Ken, respectively, and Jason Momoa and WWE pro-wrestler Roman Reigns (real name Leati Joseph Anoaʻi) are also said to be in negotiations.

Jeff Sneider believes that Reigns has been cast as the villainous Akuma, the man who killed Ryu and Ken's trainer and his own older brother Gouken, while several sources are reporting that Momoa will take on the role of green-skinned fan-favorite, Blanka.

Roman Reigns is playing Akuma in STREET FIGHTER. https://t.co/0aM7X6XGIi pic.twitter.com/LVDhqa8VBn
— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) May 21, 2025

My sources tell me Momoa would play the green-skinned Blanka. Not sure about the other ones. https://t.co/nl97MVlMDi
— Borys Kit (@Borys_Kit) May 21, 2025

Koji starred in the recently cancelled Warrior Cinemax series and also played Storm Shadow in the G.I. JOE Snake Eyes movie. Centineo, who was originally set to play He-Man before the Masters of the Universe movie was revamped, has appeared in the likes of To All The Boys and The Recruit.

Momoa will obviously be best-known for Game of Thrones, Dune, and Aquaman, and was recently confirmed to play Lobo in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.

Though numerous characters have been introduced over the years, Ryu and his best friend/rival Ken Masters have remained at the forefront of the Street Fighter video game franchise. Both fighters had very similar move sets, including the Dragon Punch and "Hadoken" fireball.

Capcom's Street Fighter series remains one of the most popular fighting games franchises of all time, but hasn't fared very well with live-action adaptations up until now. The 1994 movie starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Kylie Minogue has amassed a cult following over the years, but is still widely regarded as a misfire, and the less said about 2009's Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li the better!

We know next to nothing about this latest take on the property, so it's impossible to say whether it will break the trend. The majority of fans would seem to prefer a Ryu-focused story, but there is a lot of Street Fighter lore to mine from at this stage.

Sakurai, who stepped in to replace original directors Danny and Michael Philippou, is probably best known for writing, directing and exec producing The Eric Andre Show, and has also directed the pilot and several episodes of the upcoming Amazon Prime Video series Butterfly, as well as episodes of Peacock’s video game adaptation Twisted Metal.

What do you make of his casting news? Let us know in the comments section down below.

STREET FIGHTER: Andrew Koji And Noah Centineo Reportedly In Talks To Play Ryu And Ken

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56 Comments

1 2

Nolanite - 5/21/2025, 7:51 PM

Oh great, another Samoan with poor acting skills.

Nolanite out

THEKENDOMAN - 5/21/2025, 8:32 PM

@Nolanite—Matey, if you're [frick]ing referring to the Rock, he grew into it and has pulled off some good roles, well, mostly comedic. We will see what happens with the smashing machine.

Roman will grow. Let's give it [frick]ing time.

For [frick]s Sake...Out

KennKathleen - 5/21/2025, 9:30 PM

@THEKENDOMAN - Three words: Pain & Gain. Classic

THEKENDOMAN - 5/21/2025, 9:57 PM

@KennKathleen - 4 words.

Totally [frick]ing killed it. 👊🏿

Malatrova15 - 5/21/2025, 7:51 PM

Both roles are ripe for a JONATHAN MAJORS COMEBACK

Ryguy88 - 5/21/2025, 8:01 PM

@Malatrova15 - Balrog foo

THEKENDOMAN - 5/21/2025, 8:29 PM

@Malatrova15 - Nah, not yet.

Majors needs more serious roles to win a comeback.

Magazine dreams momentum has slowed down, so he definitely [frick]ing needs something dramatic.

Wahhvacado - 5/21/2025, 9:19 PM

@Ryguy88 - Legit that might be perfect casting

KennKathleen - 5/21/2025, 9:31 PM

@Ryguy88 - 🙄😐🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯🎯

DarthAlgar - 5/21/2025, 7:54 PM

As a life long Street Fighter fan I find these castings a little lame. Maybe Jason Momoa as Blanka. But the rumored Ryu, Ken, and Akuma? Pass.

As of right now I have zero confidence in this movie.

THEKENDOMAN - 5/21/2025, 8:27 PM

@DarthAlgar - Im [frick]ing pertoally with you as I stated in post but I'm willing to see how it comes togther.

They managed to pull off Mortal Kombat so I'm sure these [frick]ers are treading carefully.

I'm also going to see what the director has done before and the [frick]ing writer.

AnEye - 5/21/2025, 9:09 PM

@DarthAlgar - I know right what in the [frick]!?!

TheFinestSmack - 5/21/2025, 9:26 PM

@DarthAlgar - yeah I'm not feeling the casting of those three at all. Noah Centinio should not look more like Ryu than the guy cast as Ryu. I'd have to see Noah in the blonde wig but I don't see Ryu and Akuma in these choices

Repian - 5/21/2025, 7:57 PM

I was hoping to see someone like Edgar Ramirez as Blanka

THEKENDOMAN - 5/21/2025, 8:25 PM

@Repian - I [frick]ing believe he's looking for more serious roles, Borderland was [frick]ing bad enough.

MakeAmericaGrea - 5/21/2025, 9:05 PM

@Repian -

Jimmy/Blanka is a White man.

bobevanz - 5/21/2025, 10:36 PM

@MakeAmericaGrea -

Ryguy88 - 5/21/2025, 8:04 PM

Isn't Akuma supposed to be Japanese?

THEKENDOMAN - 5/21/2025, 8:24 PM

@Ryguy88 - Dont [frick]ing bother asking mate.

Its [frick]ing Hollywood.

Steel86 - 5/21/2025, 8:34 PM

@Ryguy88 - Yes but the dark hado transformed him into a monster. They could show a flash back to him before he turned or just leave it.

MakeAmericaGrea - 5/21/2025, 9:09 PM

@Ryguy88 -

Yeah, but liberals are racist.

They love raceswapping characters.

Except black characters.

They only let black people play black characters.

And they want black people to play White characters as often as possible.

dragon316 - 5/21/2025, 9:53 PM

@Ryguy88 - wouldn’t know they look non Japanese in games except for chin lie who does look Japanese

DarthAlgar - 5/21/2025, 10:08 PM

@Ryguy88 - Aye.

MyCoolYoung - 5/21/2025, 8:08 PM

Man I must not have paid attention in street fighter because I don’t remember Akuma at all

Vigor - 5/21/2025, 8:14 PM

@MyCoolYoung - he was in concept art for street fighter 2. But became a major character for every street fighter there after

He was a rival of Ryu and Ken's sensei

THEKENDOMAN - 5/21/2025, 8:22 PM

@MyCoolYoung - You couldn't miss him. Just [frick]ing imagine Ryu and Ken combined, having [frick]ing consumed 50 grams of high-quality snow, angrier, uglier, and much [frick]ing stronger. And Bob’s your Uncle, you've got [frick]ing Akuma.

TheVisionary25 - 5/21/2025, 8:22 PM

@Vigor - he was the sensei’s brother too I think

MyCoolYoung - 5/21/2025, 8:26 PM

@THEKENDOMAN - that's a very colorful and effective description right there lol

MyCoolYoung - 5/21/2025, 8:28 PM

@Vigor - I'm really going to have to look up his fighting style. We weren't huge Street Fighter players in my household, but we definitely indulged in all the games.

THEKENDOMAN - 5/21/2025, 8:34 PM

@MyCoolYoung - So [frick]ing kind words 😂👊🏿

KennKathleen - 5/21/2025, 9:33 PM

@MyCoolYoung - "that's a very colorful and effective description right there lol"

Accurate AF too. 😐🎯

DarthAlgar - 5/21/2025, 10:10 PM

@Vigor - He's his brother that had supposedly killed him.

THEKENDOMAN - 5/21/2025, 8:14 PM

Wait Wait.

Is this a [frick]ing joke?

I don’t know about this mate.

This is sounding abit [frick]ing off.

Roman I love, but him as Akuma, well, I guess if he doesn’t have to talk much. Roman is still growing in acting, he is very wet behind the [frick]ing ears. This is a big one for him, Akuma is a serious character but I guess it also boils down to script. But damn, I [frick]ing don’t know about this. I need to time to [frick]ing process this bollocks.

Momoa, that dude can play anything so that’s fine, him as Blanka could actually be fun.

Andrew and Noah, I can see that work.

But Roman, my dear Roman, I’m happy for you but [frick]ing hell mate, can you pull this off?

Let’s [frick]ing see.

@MarkCassidy stay on this

For [frick]s Sake

Steel86 - 5/21/2025, 8:36 PM

@THEKENDOMAN - Akuma doesn't do alot of talking and when he does he's mostly angry. Will be fine.

THEKENDOMAN - 5/21/2025, 8:44 PM

@Steel86 - Yep, still [frick]ing processing, but
leaning where you are, matey.

I believe we will be fine too.

HashTagSwagg - 5/21/2025, 8:18 PM

Hopfully he's as brutal as he was in the animated movie and not that goof ball they made him into in the later games.

CorndogBurglar - 5/21/2025, 8:24 PM

Goddammit. They're gonna [frick] this up again, aren't they? Roman Reigns as Akuma? Get out of here. At least Akuma never really talks. But still, they couldn't get a [frick]ing Japanese guy?

Rosraf - 5/21/2025, 8:30 PM

Just make a shot for shot remake of Bloodsport but change the names and call it Street Fighter Too.

SuperCat - 5/21/2025, 8:38 PM

Steel86 - 5/21/2025, 8:39 PM

To everyone about Akuma being Japanese please remember he was transformed by the dark hado and doesn't look anything like he did before. Hopefully some of you will have seen Street Fighter- Assassin's Fist.

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STREET FIGHTER: Jason Momoa In Talks For Blanka; WWE Superstar Roman Reigns To Play Akuma

We have some very interesting casting updates for the live-action Street Fighter movie here, with Aquaman star Jason Momoa reportedly in talks to play Blanka, and Roman Reigns up for Akuma...

STREET FIGHTER: Andrew Koji And Noah Centineo Reportedly In Talks To Play Ryu And Ken

STREET FIGHTER Live-Action Movie Moves Forward With New Director At The Helm

DISCLAIMER: As a user generated site and platform, ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and "Safe Harbor" provisions.