The 7 Best Movies Based On Fighting Games, Ranked
Fighting games have helped push the video game industry to new levels by showcasing intricate fights that get audiences excited and allow players to train to get better and better. But with so much lore tied to fighting games, movies have helped to make sense of it all.
Sadly, there are few good movies in the world of fighting game adaptations, with Dead or Alive and Tekken being chief examples of this. But with 2026 dropping both Mortal Kombat II and Street Fighter, it seems fight games are back in the pop culture spotlight. So, here are some other great movies based on fighting games to watch on HBO Max, Prime Video, and more.
Tekken is one of the greatest fighting game franchises out there, and it’s proved this time and again, as it still comes out with new titles consistently. Its live-action movies may have struggled to match that success, but not its animated outings, like Tekken: The Motion Picture.
An OVA that became a full feature, the story follows Kazuya from the first two games and his fight to stop his father, with parts of Tekken 3 being teased. Tekken’s lore is terrible to try to follow because it’s all over the place, but Tekken: The Motion Picture helps make the early years fun and digestible, even if it’s bare bones.
An original story, which is unique for a movie based on a fighting game franchise, Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture sees Terry Bogard fighting to stop the rise of a dangerous god. While its animation helps carry the story, it’s the combat that still stands out.
Unlike most movies of this variety that often get mid to bad reviews, Fatal Fury: The Motion Picture was surprisingly successful. It’s a great movie to explore as you dig deeper into this niche genre, but once you see it, it will likely be a standout.
Aesthetically, the Street Fighter canon will always seem a bit weird on the outside. But as Street Fighter (2026) has shown, its weird aesthetics are its greatest draw. Street Fighter (1994) is another great example of this, as it doesn’t sacrifice the colorful and animated looks of its characters for the story.
For every misrepresented character, such as Ken and Ryu, there are iconic turns, like Ming Na Wen as Chun-Li and the late Raul Julia in his final role as M. Bison. Street Fighter (1994) is campy fun, but even if you hate it, you should still watch it for just how much fun Julia is as the villain.
An icon of the ’90s, Paul W.S. Anderson’s Mortal Kombat (1995) is one of the earliest video game movies and was a massive success for fans of the games. In hindsight, the story of Earthrealm’s heroes working together to stop Shang Tsung wasn’t told in the best way, with its changes to the lore. Yet, it’s still a fun time with a great soundtrack.
Mortal Kombat (1995) is a rite of passage for fans of video game movies, and watching it, no matter how wrong it gets certain elements, is still a blast. Unfortunately, its sequel, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997), didn’t live up to its predecessor. Still, if you’re looking for a wonderful product of its time, Mortal Kombat (1995) is the film for you.
Street Fighter II is considered the best game in the franchise, and with good reason. It’s not only a perfect fighting game that holds up over 30 years later, but it’s also the source of a fantastic animated film, Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie.
Telling the story of the games, Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie is best watched for its fight sequence. The power behind each character is on full display, and their motivations and the world’s lore are still easy to understand. Whether you’re a fan of anime or not, Street Fighter II: The Animated Movie is a great starting point.
For decades, it was unthinkable that a video game movie, let alone one based on a fighting game, could lead to critical success with critics and the box office. But Mortal Kombat (2021) beat those odds with a flawless victory.
The film has great choreography and just enough classic characters to not make the film feel bloated. The fights are fun, and the story is easy to follow, but when it comes to the fatalities, it’s hard not to smile at how much it delivers for the fans. Mortal Kombat (2021) is a fun action movie that’s a great jumping-on point for newcomers.
An animated movie that showcases the best parts of the universe’s lore, Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge focuses on the origin of the fan-favorite anti-hero, Scorpion and his endless fight for revenge against Sub-Zero. What puts this at the top of the list is how well it starts a universe while still honoring the lore perfectly.
The film is one of the bloodiest animated movies WB has helped produce, and it adheres perfectly to the game’s lore so much that it feels like the perfect Mortal Kombat film. It’s a great start for fans looking to understand the lore in a fun way and is the first of four movies that include Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms (2021), Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind (2022), and Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match (2023).
