‘Street Fighter’ earns $4m in box office previews ahead of opening weekend, targets $35m debut
Street Fighter has earned $4 million from Thursday previews, setting up a competitive opening weekend for Paramount and Legendary’s new adaptation of the popular fighting video game franchise.
According to Variety, the film is projected to collect between $25 million and $35 million during its opening weekend. The preview figure places the action film among the leading new releases competing for cinema audiences.
Directed by Kitao Sakurai, Street Fighter features Noah Centineo, Andrew Koji, Callina Liang, Jason Momoa and 50 Cent among its cast. The performers portray fighters who enter a high stakes tournament, drawing on the colourful characters and combat focused world of the long running video game series.
Legendary and video game developer Capcom co financed the production, which reportedly cost $82 million. The release also marks the first film distributed under Paramount’s global distribution agreement with Legendary.
The opening weekend will provide an early indication of how successfully the adaptation attracts both established fans of the games and moviegoers unfamiliar with the franchise. Its commercial performance will also help establish the film’s position among this weekend’s new releases.
Other films entering the box office race include Whalefall, which collected $900,000 in Thursday previews. The thriller, directed by Brian Duffield and starring Austin Abrams, follows a scuba diver who becomes trapped inside a giant sperm whale. Its opening weekend projection stands at $10 million to $12 million.
The documentary You Can See Everything, from A24, earned $1.75 million in previews and is projected to open with $7 million to $8 million. Directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, the film centres on former Theranos chief executive Elizabeth Holmes and reportedly includes footage captured through unusually extensive access to her life.
Jane Austen adaptation Sense and Sensibility, starring Daisy Edgar Jones and Esmé Creed Miles, also enters cinemas this weekend.
For Street Fighter, the final opening weekend total will determine whether its preview performance translates into a strong theatrical debut.