Street Fighter are two video game movie adaptations that went head to head in the '90s, but which was the bigger success? For those who grew up during the 1990s, Street Fighter 2 and Mortal Kombat were defining parts of their childhoods. In much the same way it was either Coke or Pepsi or Nintendo or Mega Drive, many teenagers opted for either Mortal Kombat - the gory choice - or Street Fighter 2, and both came with iconic character rosters. They were so popular, it was little surprise that studios attempted to cash in with movie adaptations.
The Street Fighter movie arrived in 1994, followed by Mortal Kombat in 1995. Both were glossy, PG-13 blockbusters that attempted to recreate the look and feel of their respective titles. Of the two, Street Fighter had more star power, fronted by a post-Timecop Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kylie Minogue and the late, great Raul Julia. Mortal Kombat, in contrast, only had Christopher Lambert - but that was enough to propel it to victory. Mortal Kombat made over $120 million worldwide on an estimated $20 million production budget (via The Numbers), while Street Fighter earned just under $100 million on a $35 million budget.
Mortal Kombat Had Far More Success As A Film Franchise
Mortal Kombat 1995 wasn't a critical darling by any stretch, but it received warmer reviews overall. Rather than cram in too many characters, it told a simple story with a likable cast and featured great fights. Street Fighter, on the other hand, was an odd mash-up between the game and a '70s James Bond movie. It also jammed too many recognizable fighters into the story, who served little purpose. The film was a success, but the reception soon killed sequel plans. Costing less to produce and grossing more makes Mortal Kombat the clear victor, and the movie series was more successful.
Sadly, the direct sequel Mortal Kombat becoming the streamer's most successful film launch; a direct sequel is on the way. Street Fighter's only other film was the 2009 reboot The Legend of Chun-Li; this only grossed $12 million worldwide on a $50 million budget and received scathing reviews.
Van Damme Picked The Wrong Video Game Movie
The Street Fighter video game series is still going strong, but as a movie property, it never took off. Ironically, the first Mortal Kombat was largely inspired by Van Damme's Bloodsport, with Johnny Cage also based on the star. Van Damme was also offered 1995's Mortal Kombat but opted for Street Fighter instead. Both critically and commercially, this was the wrong bet. That said, Mortal Kombat 2 has yet to cast its version of Cage, so there might still be time to correct this error.
