The new Street Fighter movie is expected to lead the North American box office this weekend as four notable releases arrive in theaters on October 16, 2026. Paramount Pictures is projecting a domestic opening in the mid-$30 million range for the video game adaptation, with a similar amount expected internationally.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film will launch in more than 3,500 North American theaters. Directed by Kitao Sakurai, Street Fighter has an $82 million production budget shared equally by Legendary Pictures and Capcom.
However, the film faces a challenge from mixed early reviews. It holds a 43% critics’ approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, while The Hollywood Reporter critic Frank Scheck described it as a “jumbled tonal mess” in his review.
STREET FIGHTER LEADS THE WEEKEND’S MAJOR RELEASES
Noah Centineo, Andrew Koji, and Callina Liang star in the latest adaptation of the franchise, which originated as a video game in 1987. The story centers on a combat tournament, bringing familiar characters from the gaming series to the big screen.
The release is also significant for Paramount, marking the first film distributed under its deal with Legendary Pictures. Despite the franchise’s recognition, its box office performance will depend on whether audiences respond more positively than critics.
A24’s You Can See Everything, directed by Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim, is projected to earn around $7 million from approximately 800 theaters. The documentary examines Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes ahead of the start of her prison sentence. It has a reported $5 million budget and a 100% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of reporting.
In a review, critic Angie Han called the film “smart, funny and full of surprises.” Its strong critical reception could help it stand out despite its more limited theatrical release.
20th Century Studios is releasing Whalefall in 3,065 North American theaters, with an estimated opening of $10 million to $12 million. Directed by Brian Duffield, the $60 million survival thriller adapts Daniel Kraus’ 2023 novel and stars Austin Abrams and Josh Brolin. Abrams plays a scuba diver who is swallowed by a sperm whale while searching for his late father. The film currently holds a 70% critics’ approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Focus Features is releasing Sense and Sensibility in 2,436 North American theaters, with an estimated domestic opening of $8 million. Directed by Georgia Oakley, the adaptation stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles as the Dashwood sisters, who face uncertainty after their father’s death.
The film has a reported budget in the mid-$20 million range and a 77% critics’ approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. However, it faces comparisons with Ang Lee’s acclaimed 1995 adaptation, which starred Emma Thompson. In a review, critic David Rooney wrote that the new version “seldom steps out from the long shadow of Ang Lee’s enchanting 1995 retelling.”
With Street Fighter expected to lead the weekend, the other releases offer alternatives for audiences seeking documentary storytelling, high-stakes survival, or a period drama. Their opening figures will help determine how successfully each film reaches its intended audience.
