Paramount Pictures and Legendary have unveiled a new trailer for their upcoming Street Fighter movie, offering a first substantial look at Jason Momoa's portrayal of Blanka. This iteration of the character appears to be a significantly more violent and disturbing interpretation.
The trailer depicts Ryu, played by Andrew Koji, finding himself in a staged cage fight. His opponent is Blanka, who is presented as a monstrous, feral being that seemingly relishes in killing. In one scene, Blanka drags a captive fighter into his lair and uses his signature electrical abilities to electrocute them. The sequence incorporates a visual effect reminiscent of Street Fighter 2's cartoonish X-ray moves as the victim is zapped.
When Ryu attempts to de-escalate the situation, Momoa delivers a line that has drawn attention: “Then you die. OK?” This delivery has been noted as a heightened version of Blanka's voice from Street Fighter 6. The film, directed by Kitao Sakurai, seems poised to embrace a campy tone, which many believe is a fitting approach given the franchise's inherently outlandish premise, featuring characters like a giant Russian with bear hug attacks and a jungle dweller with inexplicable lightning powers.
Historically, Blanka originated as Jimmy, a boy who survived a plane crash in the Amazon rainforest and was transformed by electric eels. While earlier iterations sometimes portrayed him as malicious, more recent games like Street Fighter 5 and 6 have softened his image, depicting him as a seller of plush toys and a proponent of tourism for his village. This new film trailer, however, leans heavily into a more menacing portrayal.
The film appears to be leaning into faithful, direct adaptations of the characters' signature, exaggerated moves, with numerous homages planned. The trailer even includes a cameo from fighting game personality Maximilian Dood within its first seconds, suggesting that those involved in the production have a strong familiarity with the source material. The Street Fighter movie is scheduled for release on October 16.