‘Street Fighter’ Opens Presales With Mixed Results as Trackers Predict Modest Debut

Avatar photoRobert Milaković
street fighter movie 2026 1
Share:

Video game adaptations often hinge on their opening weekend, making early ticket sales a focal point of scrutiny. The first day of presales for ‘Street Fighter’ has been recorded, and a notable tracker has provided insights that are more tempered than the surrounding hype.

The stakes are high as this marks the third live-action venture into the fighting franchise. The 1994 film featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Raúl Juliá, along with 2009’s ‘Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li’, both faced challenges in winning over audiences. This time, Paramount, Legendary, and Capcom are banking on a PG-13 rating to attract a broader teenage demographic.

Now for the latest update. TheBox Office Theory forum tracker TheFlatLannister shared that the first day of ‘Street Fighter’ presales met his expectations, going viral on r/boxoffice. Sales were strong in the MTC2 sample but only moderately successful in the MTC3 sample, leading him to estimate an opening weekend around $20 million.

This projection is slightly below earlier forecasts. When Box Office Theory released its five-week outlook, it had anticipated ‘Street Fighter’ and Jessica Chastain’s ‘Other Mommy’ as potential frontrunners for October, each expected to open around $30 million.

On a positive note, Box Office Theory pointed out that the mid-fall lineup lacks significant competition, which could benefit the film. Other major October releases are also tracking modestly, with Tom Cruise’s ‘Digger’ projected to debut at around $20 million and DC Studios’ ‘Clayface’ estimated near $23.5 million.

The film is set to open on October 16, and Paramount and Legendary are generating early excitement with a “Bonus Round” fan event on Thursday, October 15 at 7:00 p.m. local time. This event will be exclusive to IMAX and premium formats, and every ticket holder will receive a collector’s art print, with early screenings starting at 2:00 p.m. that day.

Recent trends illustrate the unpredictability of this genre. ‘Mortal Kombat II’ debuted to $38.5 million, falling short of initial projections that had it closer to $50 million, ultimately grossing $129.4 million worldwide. ‘Masters of the Universe’ opened to $29.3 million but stalled at around $113 million globally against a reported budget exceeding $170 million.

Box Office Theory includes both films among ‘Street Fighter’s tracking analogs, alongside trailer and presale comparisons. A separate report from Cosmic Book News highlighted public-interest polling that placed the movie at 39 for awareness and 39 for interest six and a half weeks before its release. This is nearly identical to where ‘Masters of the Universe’ stood prior to its opening, and about 10 points lower than ‘Mortal Kombat II’s figures.

The film’s appeal may lie in its unique cast. Andrew Koji stars as Ryu, Noah Centineo portrays Ken Masters, Callina Liang takes on Chun-Li, David Dastmalchian is M. Bison, Jason Momoa plays Blanka, and Roman Reigns embodies Akuma. The cast also features wrestlers, a UFC champion, 50 Cent, and Orville Peck.

Director Kitao Sakurai, known for ‘The Eric Andre Show’, adds to the film’s comedic action angle, which is evident in the trailers that embrace a campy tone. Early reactions to the trailers have been mixed, with some viewers expressing nostalgic appreciation while others show signs of fatigue.

A first day that aligns closely with expectations is not necessarily a bad omen, but a $20 million weekend would fall short of the more ambitious projections. With weeks remaining before its release, industry trackers will be closely monitoring how the numbers evolve.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments.

Share: