Did you catch the sneakiest Easter egg in the upcoming Street Fighter movie? It's hiding in plain sight on a prisoner's neck, and only the biggest fighting game nerds will spot it.
Fighting game legend Justin Wong is making a cameo in the film alongside Michael "IFC Yipes" Mendoza. The two appear as inmates watching Ryu throw down with Blanka in a prison fight. But here's the kicker: Wong's prisoner costume features the number 37 tattooed on his neck. That's not a random number. It's a direct reference to Evo Moment 37, widely considered one of the greatest comebacks in fighting game history.
If you need a refresher, here's what went down. Back in 2004, Wong was facing off against Daigo Umehara at Evo. Wong was using Chun-Li, and things looked grim. He was down to a sliver of health and backed into a corner. Then he parried over a dozen of Umehara's Ken Masters attacks and found the perfect window to counter. The clip has racked up an obscene number of views over the decades, and the moment has yet to be equaled in the fighting game community.
In a new behind-the-scenes video, Wong opened up about his time on set, including getting covered in fake dirt and suiting up for his cameo. It's clear the filmmakers wanted to reward the hardcore fans who've been supporting Street Fighter for decades.
But that Easter egg is just the tip of the iceberg. The movie is going all-in on accuracy, embracing the unique look of the Capcom games with costumes, special attacks, and even those goofy hairstyles that double as the perfect popcorn bucket. Chun-Li actress Callina Liang went the extra mile too, focusing on conditioning her thighs to look impressively muscular and memorizing Chun-Li's various attacks.
On the audio side, composers Leo Birenberg and Zach Robinson, known for their work on Cobra Kai, have woven classic video game soundtracks into the film's score. That includes a new version of Guile's theme that fits everything. If you're a fan of the games, it sounds like the movie is speaking your language.
Street Fighter hits theaters on October 16. Will you be heading to the theater to catch all these deep-cut references for yourself?
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