Street Fighter Tops Box Office at $51M, Missing $70M Target

Key points

• Paramount/Legendary’s 'Street Fighter' earned $31 million domestic and $51 million global, missing the $70 million projection.
• The film received a B- CinemaScore and 40% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, but 80% audience score.
• A24’s 'You Can See Everything' became the highest-grossing documentary in 13 years with $15 million from 855 screens.
• Disney’s 'Whalefall' opened to $17.5 million worldwide against a $60 million budget, despite positive reception.
• Sony’s 'Resident Evil' crossed $150 million domestic, while Warner Bros.’ 'Digger' suffered massive screen losses.

Background

This is the first major release under the new Paramount-Warner Bros. merger. Previous projections anticipated a $70 million global debut, with strong expectations in Asia and Latin America due to the PG-13 rating. The 1994 'Street Fighter' film opened to $6.8 million domestic, making this a significant improvement, though it underperformed compared to 'Mortal Kombat II'.

How outlets are covering it

TheWrap and Deadline note that 'Street Fighter' missed its $70 million target, driven largely by older fans, and may face a steep drop next week. Rotten Tomatoes highlights critical praise for the film’s vibrant 2D animation and fight choreography, but severe criticism for its incoherent plot and tonal mess. Variety details the cast, including WWE stars Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes, and notes the film’s third 'Street Fighter' movie status. All sources agree that 'You Can See Everything' is a major indie success, while 'Whalefall' is a misfire despite positive reviews.

Why it matters

The box office performance of 'Street Fighter' sets the tone for the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger and the future of video game adaptations. The success of 'You Can See Everything' signals a shift in the documentary market, while the underperformance of 'Whalefall' and 'Digger' highlights the risks of high-budget thrillers and satires in the current market.

What to watch

Paramount will monitor 'Street Fighter’s' retention as it faces competition from Warner Bros.’ 'Clayface' next week. Disney will rely on 'Avengers: Doomsday' in December to offset 'Whalefall’s' losses. A24 will continue to capitalize on 'You Can See Everything’s' momentum, while Sony will assess the long-term impact of 'Resident Evil’s' success.