Roman Reigns has been a prolific performer in the world of professional wrestling, but he is exploring his horizons beyond that with his role as Akuma in the upcoming Street Fighter movie.
The Synergy and close connection he has created with the cast of the power-packed upcoming action film is evident from the recent Instagram story of David Dastmalchian, with others, including the likes of Rayna Vallandingham, Callina Liang, and Orville Peck.
Highlighting their connection with the Original Tribal Chief, Dastamalchian called Reigns a generous person and thanked him for an incredible night. The post appears to be from a get-together of the Street Fighter cast.
Roman Reigns’s Relationship With the Street Fighter Cast
In every sense, Street Fighter has been a memorable project for Reigns on the big screen. His relationship with the cast is also special. Cody Rhodes, the WWE Undisputed Champion, also featured in the movie along with Roman Reigns. The OTC had a lot to say about the American Nightmare, and while most of the words from Reigns come as a result of his previous feud with him, the mutual respect between the two has never faded away.
During an interview with CBS Sports earlier this year, the former Universal Champion acknowledged Rhodes as a great champion. Reigns shared:
Cody’s a great Champion, he beat me so he’s gotta be, right.
However, he further stated that Rhodes has never been more relevant than during his heated altercation against Reigns, which culminated for the time being at WrestleMania 40. This has confirmed that Reigns has not forgotten the defeat he suffered at the hands of Rhodes back then, which led to the loss of the WWE Championship for him, something he has not been able to win back ever since.
Apart from their bitter rivalry inside the squad circle, Rhodes has also shared the screen with Roman Reigns in the Street Fighter movie and has featured as Guile in the star-studded project. Apart from the American Nightmare, which shares a more direct relation with Roman Reigns, his synergy with others in the movie is also appreciated.
The most direct expression of on- and off-screen chemistry came from Vidyut Jamwal, the Indian actor and martial artist who will play Dhalsim in the movie. Jamwal recently posted a heartfelt Instagram post in which he described Reigns as a warrior and expressed his admiration for the Tribal Chief.
A post shared by Vidyut Jammwal (@mevidyutjammwal)
First Vidyut Jamwal and then David Dastmalchian – it is now evident that the star cast of the Street Fighter project means much more to Roman Reigns than his usual colleagues. The bond they share is one of off-screen friendship, understanding, and respect for what each one of them can contribute to the success of the movie. A table illustrating the cast of the Street Fighter movie is as follows.
With this, it’s evident that the success of this project is crucial for the overall career of Roman Reigns on the big screen, away from the excitement of professional wrestling.
Street Fighter Can Elevate Roman Reigns’ Career Beyond Wrestling
Roman Reigns started his career as an amateur wrestler and created a name for himself in the world of professional wrestling. First, as the leader of the iconic faction ‘The Shield’, including the likes of Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose a.k.a Jon Moxley, the original tribal chief slowly climbed the ladder of success and became a dominant force inside the ring and beyond.
Reigns has now elevated himself as a power-packed wrestler, achieving everything a professional wrestler can dream of. WWE gave Roman Reigns recognition, persona, titles, and an emphatic storyline in the WWE, like The Bloodline.
The quest for more glory for Reigns, however, continues. The former Universal Champion has started looking for prospects beyond the squared circle, like his cousin and the final boss, The Rock.
Both WWE superstars belong to the legendary Anoa’i family, and while The Rock has also transitioned to being a successful performer on the big screen, the journey for Reigns has just started.
His upcoming project as Akuma in the Street Fighter movie could be a game-changer in this regard. Up until now, Reigns has not been able to establish himself consistently in the world of cinema. He has been a part of a major project like Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw in 2019.
But even then, his appearances on the big screen are in accordance with the kind of name he has in professional wrestling. Street Fighter thus comes at a critical juncture for Roman Reigns.
The success of this project could determine whether Reigns becomes the next big wrestler-turned-actor like The Rock, John Cena, or Dave Bautista, who have established themselves as successful names on the big screen, or Reigns meets the fate of someone like Randy Orton: a great WWE superstar but ultimately delivered major flops on the big screen.
Whatever may be the case, Roman Reigns is determined to do all the hardwork in this project and has a great working relationship with the star cast of the project. What remains to be seen is whether people like his new avatar in the Street Fighter movie or the image of the OTC is just too magnanimous for them now to ignore.
Do you think Roman Reigns’ relationship with the star-studded cast of the movie Street Fighter will only grow with time? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
The Street Fighter movie is scheduled to be released in the United States on October 16, 2026.
