Two critically acclaimed directors explain why they left the live-action Street Fighter movie. 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 debut Talk to Me, in talks to direct, though they eventually dropped out and were replaced by Kitao Sakurai. Recently, it was reported that the Street Fighter movie is in talks with Jason Momoa, Andrew Koji, Noah Centineo, and Roman Reigns to star.

Now, during a recent appearance on The Discourse podcast (via The Playlist), Danny and Michael Philippou explained why they left the Street Fighter movie. 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 their breakout A24 horror movie Talk to Me, they have become highly coveted directors. Shortly after Talk to Me became a mᴀssive success, they entered talks to direct the Street Fighter movie, having previously made a video for their YouTube channel, RackaRacka, тιтled “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 after Talk to Me became a mᴀssive success, the Philippous started working on a sequel, officially тιтled Talk 2 Me. However, progress has been slowed by the brothers’ involvement in multiple other projects. After Bring 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 pᴀssionate about the video game franchise, Danny and Michael Philippou’s departure from the Street Fighter movie should work out for the best. By exiting the project, they will be able to focus on what they do best, making A24 horror movies, including the Talk to Me sequel. Instead, the Street Fighter movie will be directed by Kitao Sakurai, who seems better suited to handle an adaptation of the action-oriented video game franchise.

Source: The Playlist