The teaser trailer for the upcoming live-action Street Fighter film dropped during the Game Awards and was met with a largely positive response.
That said, many fans are still unsure what exact tone director Kitao Sakurai is aiming for, as the footage leaves plenty open to interpretation.
Beyond the mixed reactions, one detail has largely flown under the radar: the teaser appears to quietly confirm the presence of an additional, previously unannounced World Warrior.
At the 00:36 mark, a fighter squaring off against Ken can be seen, and based on the Lucha Libre attire, all signs point to this character being the film’s take on El Fuerte.
El Fuerte is a Mexican wrestler/chef who debuted in 2008's Street Fighter IV, although the movie's version doesn't seem to be as physically fit as his video game counterpart (the movie version must be a really, really good chef).
Besides Street Fighter IV, El Fuerte also appears in 2010's Super Street Fighter IV and 2014's Ultra Street Fighter IV.
The lucha libre wrestler has a bevy of food-themed specials, including the Tepache Bomb, Tostada Press, Fajita Buster, Habanero Dash, and Chili Mexicano.
Whereas most Street Fighter grapplers are powerful, slow opponents that rely on throws, El Fuerte is designed to rely on constant movement and speed and is known to frustrate gamers with his unpredictability and quick change of direction.
With the film decidedly leaning into the Tournament aspect of the games, it seems highly likely that more cameos are being kept under wraps for the time being.
As seen in the brief footage of Zangief delivering a Spinning Piledriver to the hapless Dan, the banner in the club reveals that it's actually the second World Warrior Tournament that's taking place.
According to Street Fighter lore, the canonical winner of the first "World Warrior" tournament was Ryu, who defeated Sagat in the final match.
One of the glaring omissions from the announced roster of fighters in the film is Sagat, and as a longtime fan favorite that's been in every mainline entry except for the Street Fighter III series, it's hard to imagine a film that's leaning so heavily into the lore of the franchise would omit the Emperor of Muay Thai.
Originally scheduled to be released in the United States on March 26, 2026, Street Fighter is now currently scheduled to arrive in theaters on October 16, 2026.
Set in 1993, estranged Street Fighters Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken Masters (Noah Centineo) are thrown back into combat when the mysterious Chun-Li (Callina Liang) recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament: a brutal clash of fists, fate, and fury. But behind this battle royale lies a deadly conspiracy that forces them to face off against each other and the demons of their past. And if they don't, it's GAME OVER! Helmed by director Kitao Sakurai, Street Fighter is set to bring the battle from the arcade to the big screen with Hadoukens, roundhouses, and all your favorite characters.