Street Fighter Debuts at $51M Globally, While Whalefall Underperforms

Key points

• 'Street Fighter' opened at No. 1 with $51.1 million globally ($31M domestic, $20.1M international), below the $70M projection but above the 1994 film's $33.4M domestic total.
• Nearly half of 'Street Fighter's' domestic audience was men over 35, limiting its broader appeal compared to the R-rated 'Mortal Kombat'.
• 'Whalefall' opened at No. 4 with $7.5 million domestically and $17.5 million globally, far below the $10-12 million domestic tracking and $60 million budget.
• 'You Can See Everything' reached No. 2 with $13 million domestically on 855 screens, exceeding expectations and setting a record for non-music documentaries.
• 'Other Mommy' dropped 72% to No. 3 with $7.85 million domestically, while 'Sense and Sensibility' rounded out the top five with $6.7 million.

Background

This weekend marked the first major box office release under the new Paramount-Warner Bros. merger. 'Street Fighter' is the third live-action adaptation of the Capcom video game, following the 1994 film and the 2009 'Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li'. The 1994 film opened to $6.8 million domestically and ended its run at $33.4 million. 'Whalefall' was adapted from a 2023 New York Times best-selling thriller, and Disney positioned it as a prestige drama rather than a genre film to avoid alienating book fans.

How outlets are covering it

Deadline emphasized 'Street Fighter's' global performance and its reliance on older male fans, noting that the PG-13 rating limited family audience expansion compared to 'Mortal Kombat'. Dark Horizons highlighted the demographic skew and its impact on 'Whalefall', while also noting the strong performance of 'You Can See Everything' and the critical acclaim for 'The Devils'. AP News focused on the critical reception of 'Street Fighter', describing it as a 'mess', while Variety detailed the cast and production background, noting the involvement of WWE stars and UFC champions. All sources agreed on the underperformance of 'Whalefall' and the strong showing of the documentary.

Why it matters

The box office results highlight the challenges of adapting video games for live-action audiences, with 'Street Fighter' relying heavily on older fans rather than drawing a broader demographic. The underperformance of 'Whalefall' suggests that prestige positioning may not translate to box office success for thrillers. The success of 'You Can See Everything' indicates growing audience interest in non-music documentaries, while the critical acclaim for 'The Devils' suggests potential for a strong theatrical run despite limited release.

What to watch

Paramount will monitor 'Street Fighter's' domestic and international performance over the coming weeks, particularly in markets like the UK, Mexico, and Australia. Disney will assess 'Whalefall's' long-term performance, especially in international markets where it ranked No. 1 in Bosnia, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. A24 will leverage 'You Can See Everything's' momentum for wider distribution, while the restored cut of 'The Devils' may see expanded releases following its critical success.