WWE's Roman Reigns Nabs Role of Akuma In Upcoming Street Fighter Live-Action

WWE superstar Roman Reigns will be performing the Raging Demon technique in the upcoming Street Fighter film. 




Multiple outlets announced the casting on Thursday evening (June 26). Reigns beat out a call sheet of who's who in Hollywood to secure the major role in the forthcoming Street Fighter live-action adaptation. The Hollywood Reporter broke the news.  




Akuma is arguably the best fighter in the classic video game. He made his debut in 1994 on Street Fighter Turbo.  Known for his menacing presence and destructive power, Akuma is a fan favorite in the franchise.




Reigns joins an eclectic cast blending talent from music, film, and television. Rap star 50 Cent will step into the role of Balrog. Country artist Orville Peck has been cast as Vega. Jason Momoa will take on the part of Blanka. 




Andrew Koji has signed on as Ryu, with Noah Centineo as Ken. Callina Liang rounds out the lineup as Chun-Li. The film, produced by Capcom and Legendary, will be directed by Kitao Sakurai and is set to begin shooting in Australia this August.




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Roman Reigns Akuma

Roman Reigns has been cast as Akuma in the live-action 'STREET FIGHTER' movie.

(via @THR) pic.twitter.com/uXbtqxBeua
— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) June 26, 2025

For Reigns, this marks a significant step beyond wrestling. At 40, he remains one of WWE's most recognizable figures, thanks largely to his record-breaking 1,316-day world title reign that ended at WrestleMania 41. Since losing to Cody Rhodes, Reigns has wrestled a part-time schedule and hasn't appeared on WWE television since the Raw episode following WrestleMania 41.




There's speculation that Reigns could return to WWE programming soon. Reports suggest his name has surfaced in internal discussions, possibly hinting at creative plans in motion.




However, with Street Fighter filming set to overlap with WWE's SummerSlam event in early August, scheduling could present challenges. While Reigns might make a brief appearance, a longer absence from wrestling seems possible as he shifts focus to this high-profile acting role.




The casting of Reigns as Akuma reflects the merging worlds of sports entertainment, gaming, and cinema. The film begins production in 2025 with a late 2026 release.




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