David Dastmalchian Cast as M. Bison in New Street Fighter Film as Legendary Builds Star-Packed Reboot

 Legendary’s upcoming Street Fighter film continues to build buzz with the addition of David Dastmalchian to its growing cast. As reported by Deadline, Dastmalchian — known for standout roles in The Suicide Squad, Late Night with the Devil, and Murderbot — will portray the infamous Street Fighter II villain, M. Bison.

M. Bison is the ruthless leader of the Shadaloo criminal syndicate and one of the franchise’s most iconic antagonists. A megalomaniac dictator with a penchant for mind control and arms trafficking, Bison is infamous for his devastating Psycho Crusher attack and unrelenting desire for world domination. Fans have spent countless arcade tokens battling the sinister overlord since his debut, making him a high-stakes addition to the reboot.

The film is being directed by Bad Trip's Kitao Sakurai and scripted by Dalan Musson, known for his work on Captain America: Brave New World and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The casting includes Callina Liang as Chun-Li, country crooner Orville Peck as Vega, and rapper-actor Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson as Balrog. Rumors are swirling around additional big-name castings: Jason Momoa as Blanka, Andrew Koji as Ryu, Noah Centineo as Ken Masters, Roman Reigns as Akuma, and comedian Andrew Schultz as Dan.

Despite the franchise’s popularity in gaming, its cinematic track record is far from stellar. The 1994 Street Fighter movie — starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, Kylie Minogue, Ming-Na Wen, and Raúl Juliá — was a box office success but widely panned by critics. Still, Juliá’s performance as M. Bison received praise and remains a cult favorite. A second attempt, Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li (2009), failed to impress both financially and critically, grossing just $12.8 million on a $50 million budget.

Legendary hopes to change the narrative with this bold new vision, star-studded ensemble, and a tone that embraces both the spectacle and spirit of the franchise’s arcade roots.