Street Fighter targets $70 million global opening as first Paramount-Warner Bros release

Legendary’s adaptation of the Capcom video game Street Fighter opened in more than 3,500 theaters in the United States and Canada on Thursday, with previews beginning at 2 p.m. and a fan event at 7 p.m. The film, directed by Kitao Sakurai and co-financed for $82 million, is the first theatrical release under Legendary’s new global distribution agreement with Paramount.

Industry estimates expect a domestic opening in the high-$30 million range and a similar mid-$30 million overseas, which would bring the worldwide debut close to $70 million. Analysts note the film’s PG-13 rating and less violent tone compared with recent Mortal Kombat movies could broaden its appeal to families and younger audiences.

The combined domestic box office for the merged Paramount-Warner Bros slate has reached $941.6 million through October 11, placing the partnership fourth among major studios behind Universal, Disney and Sony. Six more titles from the joint lineup are scheduled for release this year, including the R-rated DC film Clayface and the animated The Cat in the Hat.

"Street Fighter is positioned to attract both men and women across a wide age range, especially with its family-friendly rating," said a studio spokesperson.

Elsewhere, Clockwork’s re-release of Ken Russell’s 1971 film The Devils opened in 350 venues across key U.S. and Canadian markets, marking the first theatrical outing for the studio’s new genre label. Additional releases this weekend include the documentary You Can See Everything, which follows Nathan Fielder’s interactions with former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes, and the period drama Sense and Sensibility starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Caitríona Balfe.