Australian twin filmmaking duo Danny and Michael Philippou, who directed Sundance breakout “Talk to Me,” are in final talks to direct “Street Fighter” at Legendary, according to an insider with knowledge of the project.
Legendary secured an exclusive license to the live-action film and television rights for the iconic Capcom video game franchise earlier this month.
The first “Street Fighter” game was released in arcades in 1987 and has sold over 49 million units worldwide, becoming one of the most well-known and highest-grossing video game franchises of all time. It featured two playable characters, Ryu and Ken, who traveled the world fighting other martial artists in a tournament. Despite its limited gameplay mechanics, the game was a hit and spawned numerous sequels and spin-offs.
“Street Fighter II” was released in 1991 and is widely regarded as one of the most influential video games of all time. It introduced a cast of eight playable characters, each with their unique moves and abilities. Players could also perform special moves and combos, which added a new level of depth to the gameplay. “Street Fighter II’ was a commercial success and paved the way for other fighting game franchises like “Mortal Kombat” and “Tekken.”
“Street Fighter” was previously adapted into a live-action film in 1994 with a cast that included Jean-Claude Van Damme, Ming Na Wen and Raul Julia. It was a commercial success despite being a critical failure.
Danny and Michael Philippou are also popular Youtubers known as RackaRacka. A24 recently bought “Talk to Me” and will release the film in July.
The duo recently signed with WME are managed by Authentic Talent and Literary Management.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news.