Two critically acclaimed directors explain why they left the live-actionStreet Fightermovie. In April 2023, it was announced that Legendary was developing a movie adaptation of the Capcom video game franchise with Danny and Michael Philippou, fresh off their successful debutTalk to Me, in talks to direct, though they eventually dropped out and were replaced by Kitao Sakurai. Recently, it was reported that theStreet Fightermovieis in talks with Jason Momoa, Andrew Koji, Noah Centineo, and Roman Reigns to star.
Now, during a recent appearance onThe Discoursepodcast (viaThe Playlist),Danny and Michael Philippou explained why they left theStreet Fightermovie. The directors revealed that they departed solely due to scheduling conflicts, despite their excitement and strong interest in the project. Danny Philippou emphasized the difficulty of the decision, while Michael Philippou compared their lingering attachment to the project to the emotional pull of an ex-girlfriend. Read their full explanations below:
Danny Philippou: It literally was just scheduling, and it was the hardest decision. It was so hard. Legendary was great. Capcom was great. We were so excited. But the scheduling didn’t work out. I was traveling around Thailand, training in Muay Thai, and being in the world. I found the real-life Sagat that the characters are based on and wrote the fight sequences.
Michael Philippou: Anytime I hear Street Fighter, it’s like seeing an ex-girlfriend. The feelings are still there.
What This Means For Danny & Michael Philippou
The Directors Have A Busy Schedule
Ever since Danny and Michael Philippou burst onto the scene in 2023 with theirbreakout A24 horror movieTalk to Me, they have become highly coveted directors. Shortly afterTalk to Mebecame a massive success, they entered talks to direct theStreet Fightermovie, having previously made a video for their YouTube channel, RackaRacka, titled “Real Life Street Fighter.” However,they had to drop out of the project to focus on their next A24 horror film,Bring Her Back, which has also received rave reviews ahead of its release on May 30.
A month afterTalk to Mebecame a massive success, the Philippous started working on a sequel, officiallytitledTalk 2 Me. However,progress has been slowed by the brothers' involvement in multiple other projects. AfterBring Her Back, they plan to travel to Mexico to shoot a documentary on death match wrestling, which will occupy them through the latter half of 2025 as they handle editing. Additionally, Danny Philippou will be working with their co-writer Bill Hinzman on another undisclosed horror project.
Our Take On The Philippou Brothers Departing The Street Fighter Movie
It Should Work Out For The Best
Though they are clearly passionate about the video game franchise, Danny and Michael Philippou’s departure from theStreet Fightermovie should work out for the best. By exiting the project, they will be able to focus on what they do best, makingA24 horror movies, including theTalk to Mesequel. Instead, theStreet Fightermovie will be directed by Kitao Sakurai, who seems better suited to handle an adaptation of the action-oriented video game franchise.
