Amidst his absence from WWE television, Roman Reigns' name has circulated amongst reports of a potential new movie role, specifically in a live action adaptation of the popular video games series, "Street Fighter." Reigns was reportedly in discussions for the role of Akuma, a popular, red-haired antagonist in the franchise. Per The Hollywood Reporter, those conversations proved successful for the former WWE Champion.
Earlier today, THR confirmed that Reigns, real name Joe Anoa'i, will star as Akuma in the "Street Fighter" film. Joining Reigns on set will be actors Jason Momoa and Noah Centineo as Blanka and Ken, respectively. Elsewhere, country singer Orville Peck is set to play Vega, while martial artist-actor Andrew Koji portrays Ryu. Popular rapper Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson is also coming aboard the cast as Balrog, a disgraced boxer and bodyguard to the movie's villian.
Wrestling fans may recognize Kitao Sakurai, the director of the "Street Fighter," as he previously directed the "Twist Metal" series, which features former AEW World Champion Samoa Joe as the physical form of Sweet Tooth. Production for the film will start in August in Australia, with Legendary and Capcom co-developing and co-producing.
Later in 2025, wrestling and movie fans can see Reigns in "The Pickup," a heist comedy starring Keke Palmer, Pete Davidson, and Eddie Murphy. His exact role in that film is unknown. In past years, Reigns has notably portrayed Mateo Hobbs, the brother of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's Luke Hobbs in "Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw," as well as tattooed jock in "The Wrong Missy."
