David Dastmalchian, known for his roles in The Dark Knight, Ant-Man, and The Suicide Squad, is set to take on one of the most iconic villain roles in gaming history. Dastmalchian will portray M. 
Bison in the upcoming live-action Street Fighter movie, slated for release on March 20, 2026.
For those familiar with the franchise, M. Bison is the ruthless dictator who leads Shadaloo, a criminal organization that has wreaked havoc across the Street Fighter storyline. Bison is an ultra-powerful villain, armed with Psycho Power, making him a formidable final boss in the video games. In the original Street Fighter movie, Raúl Juliá’s portrayal of Bison became legendary, despite the film’s critical reception. The upcoming film, however, is expected to exceed expectations, aiming to outdo the 1994 version that is often considered one of the worst video game adaptations.
The cast for this new adaptation is shaping up to be a star-studded affair, with rapper 50 Cent taking on the role of Balrog, Jason Momoa as Blanka, Noah Centineo as Ken, Roman Reigns as Akuma, and Andrew Koji as Ryu. While Guile remains uncast (perhaps due to the difficulty of replicating his iconic hair), fans are hopeful for a strong ensemble that brings these beloved characters to life.
The Street Fighter franchise is part of Hollywood’s broader trend of successful video game adaptations, following in the footsteps of blockbuster films like The Super Mario Bros. Movie and A Minecraft Movie. Legendary Entertainment hopes to deliver a hit that not only satisfies fans of the video games but also outshines its predecessors.