Street Fighter might have received a mixed response from critics and fans upon its arrival in 1994, but it’s an absolute stone-cold classic now. A major reason for this is Jean-Claude Van Damme’s turn as Guile. Yeah, he didn’t have the extraordinary flattop to match his video game counterpart’s, but there was more than enough “sonic boom” in his performance.
Despite the behind-the-scenes drama (including the nonsense caused by JCVD himself as he ran riot in Thailand), Street Fighter turned out to be a monster hit at the global box office. The film made just short of $100 million from a $35 million budget during its theatrical run – but that isn’t all, as Capcom revealed in 2024 that the movie continues to make bank every single year. In this case, critics be damned, right?
All signs pointed to Street Fighter 2 becoming a reality more than a dream – and there were firm plans for it. Dolph Lundgren even mentioned that he was set to appear in it too, though he didn’t reveal the name of his character. Naturally, as the star of the first film, Van Damme’s name remained attached to the sequel for the longest time. According to JCVD, though, he turned it down.
“In fact, they called me for that movie, to do the sequel,” Van Damme told MTV in 2008. “Again, I would have been well paid, but I didn’t want to do it. I’ve made enough money. I don’t want to make a movie and then come home and be unhappy about it. Life is short.”
Well, good for him. It’s no secret that Van Damme had his personal demons, especially while filming Street Fighter, and his fall from A-lister to straight-to-DVD star might have been the best thing to happen in his life. He came through the tumultuous period and continues to put out entertaining movies, so everybody wins here.
Having said that, it would have been a treat to see him step out as Guile again. While there’s no disputing that the late Raúl Juliá made the movie a million times better than it had any right to be as M. Bison, JCVD brought the goods as the all-American hero too. It’s only sad to think that Juliá wouldn’t have been around to reprise his role as Bison in Street Fighter 2.
In the end, Van Damme said no to Street Fighter 2, and we received Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, which poisoned our eyes and brains. Thankfully, the 2026 Street Fighter reboot can wash away all the pain now.
RELATED: Raul Julia Knew This Movie Was Terrible — And Gave the Performance of a Generation Anyway
Street Fighter hits theaters on October 16, and Guile is back, just not as Van Damme played him. WWE star Cody Rhodes is the one stepping into the character’s boots in 2026. Meanwhile, Street Fighter (1994) is currently streaming free with ads on Pluto TV. You can also rent or buy it on Prime Video, Apple TV and Google Play.
Street Fighter |
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In the midst of a civil war in South East Asia, a general intensifies the climate of violence by kidnapping 63 UN delegates. To free the hostages, a colonel leads a group of fighters, who will have to use all their skills to be successful. |
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| Studio: Edward R. Pressman Productions, Capcom Co. Ltd. |
| Running Time: 102 minutes |
| Release Date: December 23, 1994 |
| Cast: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Raul Julia, Ming-Na Wen, Damian Chapa, Kylie Minogue, Wes Studi |
| Director: Steven E. de Souza |
| Writers: Steven E. de Souza |
| Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy |
| Box Office: $99.4 million |
