The Street Fighter movie just landed another heavy-hitter—literally—in the shape of one of WWE’s biggest stars. As first reported by Nexus Point News and now confirmed by Deadline, Cody Rhodes, 40, has offically signed on to take on the role of Guile in Legendary Pictures’ upcoming live-action Street Fighter reboot. The fan-favourite colonel with the unforgettable flat-top haircut is officially back—and this time, he’s bringing the Cross Rhodes with him.
Guile, introduced in Street Fighter II back in 1991, has become one of the most iconic characters in Capcom’s long-running franchise. Known for his “Sonic Boom” projectile attack, his stoic military discipline, and of course, that theme song, Guile serves as the muscle and moral center of the roster. Within the lore of the story, he’s an Air Force colonel who’s trying to hunt down M. Bison and his Shadaloo empire, all while trying to maintain some semblance of a normal family life with his wife and daughter. Something we can all relate to, surely? He was memorably portrayed by Jean-Claude Van Damme in the cult classic 1994 adaptation.
The Street Fighter reboot boasts a stacked cast of fan-favourite characters and big-name stars: Jason Momoa takes on the role of Blanka, Roman Reigns as Akuma, and Noah Centineo and Andrew Koji portray legendary duo Ken and Ryu. 50 Cent is set to punch through as Balrog, with Callina Liang stepping playing Chun-Li. Andrew Schulz joins the lineup as Dan Hibiki, Orville Peck is the assassin Vega, and David Dastmalchian will go full villain as the film’s big bad, M. Bison.
Who Is Cody Rhodes?
Best known for his wrestling career, Cody Rhodes debuted in WWE in 2006 before leaving the company in 2016 over creative frustrations. He then helped found All Elite Wrestling (AEW) before, in 2022, making a high-profile return to WWE—and promptly headlining both nights of WrestleMania 40 alongside Roman Reigns (his co-star in Street Fighter, The Rock, and Seth Rollins in what’s now considered the biggest WrestleMania in history.
On the acting front, Rhodes has dipped his boots in Hollywood before. He played recurring Arrowverse villain Derek Sampson on The CW’s Arrow, and is set to appear in the upcoming Naked Gun reboot. His casting in Street Fighter as Guile marks his most high-profile film role to date, though.
Street Fighter is currently in pre-production, with a release date yet to be set. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Source: Deadline