Paramount Pictures has released a new Street Fighter featurette that gives fans the first look at Gouken, the martial arts master who trained Ryu and Ken Masters. The preview, shared on September 28, 2026, focuses on the brotherhood and rivalry between the two fighters while briefly showing a photograph of them standing with their teacher.
The featurette runs through the backstory of Ryu (Andrew Koji) and Ken (Noah Centineo), who were training partners and friends before an event split them apart. At around the 13-second mark, viewers can see a photo of a young Ryu and Ken sitting together with Gouken standing behind them. The master is shown wearing a black gi with his arms crossed, and prayer beads are visible around his neck.
What Does the New Street Fighter Featurette Show?
The new featurette mixes gameplay footage with interviews from the film’s stars and director Kitao Sakurai. It opens with the familiar Round 1, Fight! sound from the games before introducing Centineo and Koji in character.
Centineo describes Ken and Ryu as people who “go way, way back” and were “training partners and friends for a very long time”. Koji adds that the two are “brothers, not actually blood brothers” who stopped speaking after an event pushed them onto separate paths.
Sakurai explains that the relationship between the pair is the core question of the film: “Will they rekindle their brotherhood or not?”
Who Plays Gouken in the Street Fighter Movie?
Paramount has not yet revealed who is playing Gouken. The first look only shows the character in a photograph with young Ryu and Ken, and no actor has been confirmed for the role as of September 28, 2026.
This mirrors how Gouken was originally handled in the video games, where he was referenced as Ryu and Ken’s master long before becoming a playable fighter. He first appeared as a playable character in Street Fighter IV in 2008, though he was mentioned in earlier game lore and manga.
What Is Gouken’s Role in Street Fighter Lore?
Gouken is the martial arts teacher of Ryu, Ken Masters, and Dan Hibiki. He is also the older brother of Akuma, known in Japan as Gouki, who is played by Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i in the film.
In the games, Gouken was believed to have been killed by Akuma before returning to test his former students. The prayer beads seen on Gouken in the featurette carry weight for fans: Akuma is known for taking Goutetsu’s prayer beads after killing him, and Gouken has been depicted with prayer beads before, though he stopped wearing them after his return in Street Fighter 4.
How large Gouken’s role will be in the movie remains unclear. The featurette confirms his presence in the story’s backstory, but he does not appear as a full character in the footage shown so far.
Full Street Fighter 2026 Cast
The live-action Street Fighter film features an ensemble cast drawn from across the franchise’s history:
- Andrew Koji as Ryu
- Noah Centineo as Ken Masters
- Callina Liang as Chun-Li
- Joe “Roman Reigns” Anoa’i as Akuma
- David Dastmalchian as M. Bison
- Cody Rhodes as Guile
- Jason Momoa as Blanka
- Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalsim
- Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as Balrog
- Andrew Schulz as Dan Hibiki
- Eric André as Don Sauvage
- Olivier Richters as Zangief
- Hirooki Gotō as E. Honda
- Rayna Vallandingham as Juli
- Mel Jarnson as Cammy
- Orville Peck as Vega
- Alexander Volkanovski as Joe
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When Does Street Fighter Release in Theaters?
Street Fighter is scheduled to hit theaters on October 16, 2026. The film was directed by Kitao Sakurai and produced by Legendary Entertainment and Capcom. It was shot for IMAX and will also be available in 4DX, ScreenX, and other premium large formats.
Set in 1993, the story follows estranged fighters Ryu and Ken as Chun-Li recruits them for the next World Warrior Tournament. The tournament hides a deadly conspiracy led by M. Bison, forcing the pair to confront both their past and each other.
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Also Read: Street Fighter New Trailer Brings Arcade Action to Life With Playable Experience and Epic Battles
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