Legendary Entertainment’s anticipatedStreet Fighterlive-action film is continuing to assemble its group of fighters. Indian action star Vidyut Jammwal is the latest addition to the film, set to portray the iconic Dhalsim, the limb-stretching yoga master from India. For Jammwal, this marks a significant milestone:his Hollywood debut. He is a well-known actor in India, recognized for his action roles and expertise in martial arts and has starred in numerous films in India, including the popularCommandoandKhuda Haafizfranchises. Deadline, which broke the news of Jammwal’s involvement, says the actor “has been deliberate about the project with which he wants to introduce himself in the U.S. market.”
Dhalsim is one ofStreet Fighter’s most recognizable characters. He was introduced inStreet Fighter II: The World Warriorin 1991, and quickly became a fan favorite for hisunique fighting style(which includes stretching his limbs to impossible lengths and signature “Yoga Fire” attacks). Dhalsim is a monk and yoga master whose beliefs leaned towards peace and pacifism, but initially participates in the “Street Fighter” tournament to earn money for his village, which was suffering from an epidemic. As the video game series progressed, his purpose evolved as he continued fighting in an attempt to rid the world of evil.
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The veteran actor was best known for portraying E. Honda in ‘Street Fighter’ and the lovable Manu in ‘Necessary Roughness.’
Jammwal joins an already stacked and diverse cast that features Noah Centineo as Ken, Andrew Koji as Ryu, Callina Liang as Chun-Li,David Dastmalchian as M. Bison, Jason Momoa as Blanka, Cody Rhodes as Guile, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as Balrog, Orville Peck as Vega, Andrew Schulz as Dan Hibiki, Roman Reigns as Akuma, and Hirooki Goto as E. Honda.
Since its 1987 debut, Capcom’sStreet Fighterhas garnered a massive global following. The original game featured only two playable characters, Ryu and Ken, who traveled worldwide to compete against other martial artists in a street fighting tournament. Its 1991 sequel,Street Fighter II,introduced six more characters, including Dhalsim.
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Despite theStreet Fightergame franchise’s popularity, its 1994 live-action adaptation failed to impress. Directed by Steven E. de Souza and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Ming-Na Wen, and Raúl Juliá,Street Fighterwas unable to win over critics, who largely panned the feature. It did, however, triple its production costs at the box office.
The Philippou brothers (Danny and Michael), known for their YouTube channel RackaRacka and their successful horror filmTalk to Me,were originally in talks to direct the movie. However, due to scheduling conflicts with their A24 project,Bring Her Back, they ultimately exited the film. The newStreet Fighterfilm is now set to be directed by Kitao Sakurai. Sakurai is best known for directing the 2021 Netflix filmBad Trip;he has also directed episodes of popular TV shows, includingThe Eric Andre ShowandTwisted Metal. His background in both comedy and action-oriented projects suggests a fun and adrenaline-driven Street Fighter. The screenplay for the film is penned by Dalan Musson (Captain America: Brave New World).
The upcoming live-action film has the power to deliver theStreet Fighterstory fans have been waiting for: Jammwal’s addition is particularly intriguing as he is a real-life master of Kalaripayattu, a traditional Indian martial art, which makes him an exceptional choice to bring Dhalsim to the big screen. While specific plot details remain under wraps, the film is currentlyslated for release on July 04, 2025.
Source:Deadline
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