
Roman Reigns cast as Akuma in upcoming live-action Street Fighter movie
WWE superstar Roman Reigns is stepping into the world of video game cinema with his latest role as Akuma in the live-action Street Fighter film.
According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, Reigns joins a growing cast in Legendary Entertainment's reboot of the iconic fighting game franchise.
While the film's plot remains under wraps, the casting news comes alongside confirmation that rapper 50 Cent (Curtis Jackson) is also set to appear, reportedly playing the role of Balrog. The new Street Fighter adaptation continues to build hype with its star-studded lineup, which already includes Andrew Koji as Ryu, Noah Centineo as Ken, Callina Liang as Chun-Li, and Jason Momoa rumored to portray Blanka.
Reigns, who has been off WWE television since his character was written out by a faction involving Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, and Paul Heyman on the RAW after WrestleMania 41, now turns his focus to the big screen. Taking on the role of Akuma—a powerful, red-haired martial artist known for his dark techniques—marks a bold new chapter in Reigns' entertainment career.
The film is being developed by Legendary in partnership with Capcom, and it is expected to lean heavily into the iconic Street Fighter II characters and storyline. Directed by Kitao Sakurai, best known for The Eric Andre Show, the film was initially slated for a March 2026 release but has since been delayed.
As production ramps up, fans of both pro wrestling and classic fighting games are eager to see how Roman Reigns brings the fierce Akuma to life on screen.
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Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
Roman Reigns cast as Akuma in upcoming live-action Street Fighter movie
WWE superstar Roman Reigns is stepping into the world of video game cinema with his latest role as Akuma in the live-action Street Fighter film. According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, Reigns joins a growing cast in Legendary Entertainment's reboot of the iconic fighting game franchise. While the film's plot remains under wraps, the casting news comes alongside confirmation that rapper 50 Cent (Curtis Jackson) is also set to appear, reportedly playing the role of Balrog. The new Street Fighter adaptation continues to build hype with its star-studded lineup, which already includes Andrew Koji as Ryu, Noah Centineo as Ken, Callina Liang as Chun-Li, and Jason Momoa rumored to portray Blanka. Reigns, who has been off WWE television since his character was written out by a faction involving Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, and Paul Heyman on the RAW after WrestleMania 41, now turns his focus to the big screen. Taking on the role of Akuma—a powerful, red-haired martial artist known for his dark techniques—marks a bold new chapter in Reigns' entertainment career. The film is being developed by Legendary in partnership with Capcom, and it is expected to lean heavily into the iconic Street Fighter II characters and storyline. Directed by Kitao Sakurai, best known for The Eric Andre Show, the film was initially slated for a March 2026 release but has since been delayed. As production ramps up, fans of both pro wrestling and classic fighting games are eager to see how Roman Reigns brings the fierce Akuma to life on screen.


Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Express Tribune
We Were Liars' writer credits social media for fame
It is the stuff of every writer's fantasies: wow the world with a bestseller and then watch it played out on screen as a beloved TV series. It was certainly the dream cherished by We Were Liars author E Lockhart, who penned the 2014 bestselling YA novel about the wealthy Sinclair family in their extravagant home on a private island. And now with her novel having found new life as an eight-episode Prime video series of the same name (thanks, in part, to a revival by Tiktok), Lockhart reminisces to The Hollywood Reporter about how her book may have never have taken off the way it has without the intervention of social media. "We Were Liars was my best-selling book when it first came out, and then, as it always happens, it was no longer a best-seller, and I went on to write other novels," recalls the novelist. "And then in 2020, when we were all living through the pandemic, Tiktok creators started making a new kind of book recommendation video that was very exciting and very creative." The We Were Liars adaptation, which Lockhart reveals had been in development ever since the book came out, follows a non-linear structure in which an amnesiac Cadence is trying to piece together a tragedy that has occurred. Ugly secrets and well-knitted lies to bubble to the surface before exploding into a delicious twist that continues to enthral viewers and readers alike. The show stars Emily Alyn Lind, Esther McGregor, Shubham Maheshwari and Joseph Zada. With quirky reviews from content creators reeling viewers into the world she had created, Lockhart elaborated how new readers discovered her book. "Instead of simply saying, 'Hey, here's a book I like. Maybe you would like it too and here's why,' they were making aesthetic videos that brought readers into the world of this privately owned island off the coast of Massachusetts with pictures of kids jumping off cliffs to go swimming and bonfires on the beach and summer love and all of that." Such recommendations proved to be the springboard that started conversations. "The other kind of videos they made were very vulnerable videos of themselves reading the ending to the novel and responding to it," said Lockhart. "And sometimes they were throwing the book across the room. Sometimes they were weeping copiously, and snot was dripping out of their nose and mascaras running on their face. And so people were either exercising their creative [outlet] or sharing their vulnerability." Lockhart credits such committed reviewers for bringing We Were Liars into the limelight again. "I felt very lucky that my book was one of several that got that kind of attention," she admits.


Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Express Tribune
Joe Marinelli dies at 68 after cancer battle, remembered for Santa Barbara and General Hospital roles
Joe Marinelli, a veteran character actor known for his work in daytime soap operas, has died at 68. He was best known for roles in shows like Santa Barbara and General Hospital. Marinelli passed away on June 22, 2025, in Burbank, California, following a battle with stomach and throat cancer. His wife, Jean Marinelli, confirmed the news to The Hollywood Reporter, while his agent Julie Smith also shared the news with CNN. Marinelli rose to prominence playing Bunny Tagliatti, a cross-dressing mobster, on NBC's Santa Barbara from 1988 to 1990. He later took on roles as Pauly Hardman in Guiding Light and Joseph Sorel in General Hospital from 1999 to 2001. In addition to daytime television, Marinelli built a wide-ranging career in primetime and film. He appeared in series such as ER, House, The West Wing, Castle, Ray Donovan, Desperate Housewives, and The Morning Show, as well as in Alexander Payne's 2004 film Sideways. Director Alexander Payne remembered Marinelli fondly, calling him 'an extraordinary artist' and 'a uniquely magnificent human being.' Actor Mark Duplass, his co-star on The Morning Show, said, 'We didn't spend 10,000 hours together, but we were spiritually aligned in many ways.' Leigh J. McCloskey, a Santa Barbara castmate and longtime friend, described him as 'a storyteller extraordinaire' and 'a passionate believer in people.' Born on January 21, 1957, in Meriden, Connecticut, Marinelli moved to Southern California as a child. He studied at Loyola Marymount University and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London before beginning his acting career in Los Angeles. He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Jean, and their two sons, Vincent and David. Musician Finneas, a childhood friend of David, reflected on Marinelli's legacy: 'Even at times when I did not fully understand myself, Joe always seemed to.'