Summary

• Gosling and Koji become iconic Street Fighter rivals Ken and Ryu in new artwork.
• Legendary's Street Fighter movie reboot is in pre-production with directors secured.
• A modern reboot may aim for faithfulness and balance between accuracy and welcoming newcomers.

Ryan Gosling and Andrew Koji become Capcom's iconic martial arts rivals Ken and Ryu in BossLogic's latest piece of Street Fighter movie fan casting artwork. Gosling recently appeared in 2023's Barbie as the naive, unaware but ultimately good-hearted Ken, while Koji portrayed Cobra's deadly ninja operative Storm Shadow in 2021's GI Joe prequel Snake Eyes. Making their debuts in 1987's Street Fighter, Ryu and Ken Masters are mainstays of Capcom's fighting game series, hoping to prove themselves as two of the world's best fighters.

While Legendary's Street Fighter movie reboot is still in pre-production, BossLogic has imagined how the franchise's two original leading fighters could look in a new big-screen reimagining.

In BossLogic's artwork, Koji is a world-weary Ryu amid combat in a dark, dingy venue, his ghi torn as roaring crowds gather around him. Meanwhile, Ken is fittingly inspired by Gosling's show-stealing Barbie role, using a shot from the film as a basis while combining Ken's early designs with the longer hair of later appearances.

Which Character Could A Street Fighter Movie Follow?

Currently, Legendary's Street Fighter movie reboot has so far only secured its directors after the production company secured the television and film rights to the franchise in 2023. The YouTubers-turned-directing duo Danny and Michael Philippou are set to bring Capcom's world to life after their successful debut with the acclaimed horror movie Talk To Me. As such, it is unclear how the movie will bring the franchise's roster to the silver screen. While 1994's Street Fighter framed its narrative as a battle between Jean-Claude Van Damme's Guile and Raul Julia's M. Bison's factions, a modern reboot may choose a different, more faithful premise.

With this focus on faithfulness seen in many successful modern video game adaptations, Street Fighter could strike a balance between accuracy and welcoming newcomers by returning to the series' earlier tales rather than diving into the later lore of Ryu's evil persona, Shadaloo's revival, and legacy fighters. This approach could follow in the footsteps of 2021's Mortal Kombat, where Lewis Tan's Cole Young was a new character and audience surrogate entering this world, with viewers learning about the tournament as he did.

Though it may still be some time until production ramps up on a new Street Fighter movie reboot, BossLogic's artwork envisions what a modern reimagining could offer. While Gosling's Ken casting is likely more of a play on his other recognizable role, both pieces work well to envision how Capcom's varied designs translate to film.

Street Fighter 1994 is available to rent and purchase on Apple TV, Amazon, and the Microsoft Store.

Source: BossLogic /Instagram