2026 is set to be a huge year for video game movies. The quality of films based on video games has gone up in recent years, thanks to successes like The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Pokémon: Detective Pikachu, and the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Mortal Kombat II and Street Fighter look to continue that trend in 2026.

Both adaptations have an uphill battle because past iterations haven’t lived up to expectations. 1994’s Street Fighter was blasted by critics despite some fun aspects, while Mortal Kombat has a better history, yet it hasn’t been all that well-received. However, there’s one reason both adaptations have a shot at success this year.

Mortal Kombat 2 & Street Fighter Both Seem True To The Games

The most important thing when adapting a video game into a movie is often to stay true to the game. The best video game films, like The Super Mario Bros. Movie, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Gran Turismo, all feel like the game.

Movies that are fan favorites despite not being critical darlings, like 1995’s Mortal Kombat, A Minecraft Movie, and Warcraft, are true to the source material. Video game movies that don’t do that, like Resident Evil, often miss the mark.

Thankfully, both Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat II look like they pay homage to the games. What makes it even more interesting is that both fighting games are very different, yet that’s why we believe they’re going to work.

Street Fighter Will Be Wacky And That’s A Good Thing

For starters, Street Fighter looks like it’s going to play up the camp aspect. The entire premise of the franchise is goofy on the surface, with everything from sumo wrestlers to karate experts to boxers to wrestlers to feral savages fighting in some of the most mundane, everyday locations.

The trailer for Street Fighter looks like it will play into this. These ridiculous characters are all coming together and fighting, seemingly without taking things too seriously. The designs of the on-screen characters are over-the-top and that’s what fans should want from a Street Fighter movie.

The trailer even depicts someone beating up a car, which is a famous silly aspect from the games. Staying true to those things should make Street Fighter work, even if it’s just for hardcore fans.

Mortal Kombat Is Brutal And That’s A Good Thing

On the flip side, Mortal Kombat II takes a more brutal approach. The concept is also pretty goofy, with ninjas, movie stars, police officers, and powerful conquerors all fighting in a tournament, yet people come to the games for the violence.

2021’s Mortal Kombat may not have delivered on the titular tournament, but it featured the kind of action you want. From a “flawless victory” to Sub-Zero freezing blood and using it as a weapon, Mortal Kombat gave fans the kind of brutality the games are known for.

Mortal Kombat II looks to double down on that. It seems like the fight scenes will be violent, the fatalities will be iconic, and we’re getting the actual tournament. That sounds like a recipe for success in a Mortal Kombat movie.