Hmm. Is the above Smallville's Kristin Kreuk as Chun-Li, or is it just Kristin Kreuk dirty after playing in the dirt? Maybe her wrists still hold some impressive jewelry, but from what that picture shows (courtesy of /film), none of that looks like the Street Fighter character. Sure, wardrobes in these sorts of movies rarely look just like their animated predecessors, but something. Anything? Zack Snyder changed things up for Watchmen, but they still look damned cool and pretty recognizable. If you can't recognize your lead character, what's the point?

Here's hoping there's a costume change coming that we haven't seen yet, or at least some hair buns. This project is, of course, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li, not just any Street Fighter movie. Perhaps this is Chun-Li before someone gives her the famous outfit so she can hunt down her mentor's murderers.

Well if nothing else, at least the legendary Chun Li is not going to be played by Jessica Biel. ComingSoon.net is reporting that Smallville's Kristin Kreuk has signed to star in the new Street Fighter film. There has been no official word on which role she is going to play, but the smart money is on her taking over where Ming-Na Wen left off in the 1994 incarnation of Capcom's classic game. News of the film first surfaced back in October, 2006 and back in July there had been an early review of Justin Marks' script. Early word had the plot centering on Li as she searches for those responsible for her father's murder all while taking down the Shadoloo organization. There has been very little mention of any of the other Street Fighter characters making an appearance, so I would expect that not much has changed in Marks original ideas of the film's direction. The flick is expected to start production this spring and will film on location in Thailand in March 2008.

This is Kreuk's third feature film, having already starred in Partition with Neve Campbell and a slightly less dignified role in the teen comedy, Eurotrip. Andrzej Bartkowiak has already signed to direct. For those of you out there worried that Street Fighter will degenerate into another cheese-fest, I can't say I blame you. Of course the worse news is that Bartkowiak's resume highlights include Cradle 2 the Grave and Romeo Must Die, so I can't be the only one thinking that this film might be destined for direct to DVD obscurity.

Are you ready for another Street Fighter flick? Yeah, neither am I. But we aren't the people who make these decisions, are we? So, ready or not, the Street Fighter franchise, which spans tons of video game titles, is set to return to cinema in what I've already labeled the Street Fighter II: Turbo edition movie. In truth, we don't actually know if the film plans to be a sequel to the wildly humorous 1994 Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle. What we do know, however, is the film plans to center around the popular Chun-Li character. Presumably, she will be an Interpol agent investigating Shadoloo for the death of her father -- but we all know how good movie studios are at staying true to video game plots.

By now, you should know the golden rule of video game movies: they are terrible. Sure, you may be able to point to one or two flicks you consider to be an exception, but really, the world has yet to produce a really stellar (American live-action) video game movie. Chun-Li's story does have the basic makings of your typical cop action story (except, of course, the cop is also one of the world's premiere martial-arts brawlers), but it has a lot of historical momentum to overcome if it expects to be a success. Do you suppose this flick has any chance at beating the odds?


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