Why Guile Starred in Street Fighter Movie...& NOT RYU

Today's video discusses why Guile starred in the 1994 Street Fighter movie instead of Ryu, there is more to this story than him simply being American.
#streetfighter #fightinggames #guile
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A Deep Dive History of Guile
• The History of GUILE -...

[@TopHatGamingManChannel]

Check Out MY Deep Dive History of Guile kzbin.info/www/bejne/qIarnpSombJ8nbM&t

[@shin-oni4223]

Thank you, been waiting for someone to finally correct that, yes Ryu is the main character

[@GreenTygur]

I thought it was because Jean Claude Van Damme was the big star of the movie and it would be a real stretch to make him into Ryu.

[@sorrycashonly5651]

Should have started Stalone as Ryu and grabbed the grown-up Brad Pit from a time machine to start as Ken

[@KEN-1991]

@@sorrycashonly5651 Why would anyone want to see a mush-mouthed Ryu who looks like Rambo? Also, Brad Pitt would be a whole lot better choice than Damian Chapa.

[@dragonballsuper1519]

@@sorrycashonly5651Jackie Chan as Ryu, Van Damme as Ken, Dolph as Guile, Arnold as Bison. Then in the sequel Stallone as Akuma. It would have been bigger than the Titanic and shattered the 1990s box-office records 😂

[@fighter604]

​@@dragonballsuper1519fr

[@A-Dubs398]

Jet Li could've been Ryu and the main character instead if they were worried about star power.

[@SolarDNA]

I was just disappointed Van Damme didn't rock Guile's trademark hair in the film. 😔

[@KEN-1991]

That's because the director though no one would take Guile seriously if he did have his three-inch impossible flat-top.

[@SolarDNA]

@KEN I mean, yeah Guile's hair is ridiculous and wouldn't translate to live-action very well, which is why my original comment was meant as a joke. That said, you can't sincerely tell me it wouldn't have been absolutely badass if they had done it anyway. lol

[@westernspy517]

Kurt Russel wouldve been a better fit

[@KEN-1991]

@@westernspy517 Kurt Russell should've kept bodybuilding after Big Trouble in Little China, he'd be on top of the list to play Guile. Also... Dean Cain as Ryu, and Brandon Lee as Me would've also been spot-on choices.

[@renanmesquita8527]

​@@westernspy517Or Dolph Lundgreen.

[@DarkOverlord96]

I mean, there's also the fact that, even with what little story there was at the time, Guile was the only character who had a personal vendetta against Bison in the games since he murdered his best friend Charlie, whereas Ryu had zero connection to Bison, so making Guile the main character who fights Bison at the end makes sense. Same thing with Chun-Li since Bison also killed her father in the games. It's pretty funny how in the Story Mode of SFV, Ryu is suddenly made the real main character and the one who ultimately defeats Bison... and it was something the fans didn't like and wanted Guile and/or Chun-Li to do it instead.

[@pcharl01]

It also helps Guile is military and you know... The US loves to market the military to boys and GI Joe was not a thing by 1993.

[@chidorisnake22]

I wanted Nash to do it. If anyone earned the right to deal the finishing blow, it's him. The SFV story was just a mess for many reasons. This just happened to be one of them.

[@striped186]

​@@chidorisnake22Yes wanted Nash to do it too

[@championmetal953]

T.Hawk also wants revenge against Bison in STF2 Aswell

[@HEHEHE_I_AM_A_MASKED_WARRIA]

It should've been Nash or Rashid (since Rashid is supposed to be the main character).

[@ralphpaez3513]

Isn't Guile in the Air Force? Why is he riding a tank???

[@youraveragejoe2]

Ikr. At least give him a plane

[@pcharl01]

I think 🤔 the Air Force is the least marketed or marketable branch of the military. Usually it the Army or Marines, therefore put the Air Force in a tank to matket the Army.

[@KEN-1991]

They were going to make Guile an Air Force Major like in the games, but they couldn't afford air-strike scenes in the film location.

[@ARMASOG]

It looks more like a ugv with missiles on it than a tank and the airforce has some ugvs.

[@chaotic_2630]

He’s not just in the Air Force he’s American

[@HyperSonicXtreme]

Even in the 90s animated Street Fighter series they made Guile the main character and leader of the Street Fighters.

[@tHeWasTeDYouTh]

Guile gave Cammy some Sonic Boom during the filming of the movie. Jean Claude was coked out of his mind as well

[@Y20XTongvaLand]

What?

[@tHeWasTeDYouTh]

​@@Y20XTongvaLand so the director talked about this. Jean Claude was doing a ton of coke during this movie and he was coked out of his mind most of the time. Jean Claude also told the crew that he slept with Kylie Minogue. Sad part, the actor who played Bison, Raul Julia had cancer and he acted really well and took things seriously because his young son was a huge street fighter fan. rip

[@brandongordon3082]

Let's just say they finally got what they wanted his name is Luke.

[@KKristof100]

Probably, yeah. We can say Alex and Abel both failed from that point of view.

[@conradojavier7547]

​@@KKristof100 you have this Korean Anti-Heroine stealing Abel's Intended Thunder.

[@conradojavier7547]

Also Luke being Guile's Student comes full circle.

[@conradojavier7547]

Capcom wanted a Whiteboy to Lead Street Fighter since Guile in the Street Fighter Movie.

[@theultimatek.i.m.m1504]

​@@conradojavier7547 And they kept trying til they forced it into "working".

[@JIX9ISLER1986]

Of course this video was released on "Tuesday"

[@steviejetera1601]

Lmao...M.Bison

[@dragonballsuper1519]

And then the Japanese dunked on Hasbro with the stunning Street Fighter II: the Animated Movie. That’s how they should have done the Live Action version, at-least then people would still fondly remember that movie like they do Mortal Kombat (1995) today.

[@aztec0996]

I love that movie, it's free to watch here on KZbin

[@nosfonader8792]

Van Damme was also a huge star at the time. That and Hollywood didnt think a Japanese man as the lead wouls connect with American audiences. They did the same with cartoon: making Guile the MC and Ken the big deal and Ryu being a nerfed sidekick. #JusticeForRyu

[@lingoistj1956]

in other words, racism and whitewashing

[@nordicnostalgia8106]

Now Hollywood wants the Asian marked really bad so Ryu would have worked

[@lylepatrick4922]

Yeah Pretty much this…. Ryu was more identifiable as a street fighter character and the face of the franchise but there weren’t many Asian action stars in the Western Market. There other aspects like story with the villain bison and Van Damme being a big name during the early 90’s.

[@nosfonader8792]

@@lylepatrick4922 Jackie Chan was getting noticed I think but they still wouldn't have done anything with it. Ryu would be the rightful lead in a modern Street Fighter movie though.

[@lylepatrick4922]

@@nosfonader8792 Sadly Jackie Chan wasn’t a household name in the Western entertainment until the mid-late 90’s, he was quite niche during mid 80’s to early 90’s and he was very upset during those times cause he wanted to be a lead in Hollywood for action films but they were trying offer him villains and supporting roles which he declined.

[@leandrusi4533]

Guile in the commmercial: whats a "Dhalsim"?

[@jimtaylor294]

😂

[@jakeinator2005]

That's actually Duke from G.I. Joe. In the same commercial, you can see Guile multiple times with the rest of the fighters.

[@souperpouperscouper]

I gotta say this is one of the first really smart uses of a youtube short I've seen cause now I'm gonna watch the rest of the guile video so nice work man

[@ryanzer0170]

Because Guile's music can go with anything 😎

[@azozeto]

I just assumed it was because Van Damme was one of the biggest stars at the time

[@Blindy_Sama]

I had the guy land Chun-Li figures. I also had the MK figures that were popular at the same time I think I still have some of them somewhere they're very well-loved that's for sure I played with them a lot of my other action figures all the time along with some other popular 90s toys.

[@tryingtotryistrying]

they should have done a toy line with ryu. it's like a dirty cloth for a Gi and some rocks and twigs. "for 29.99 mediate for days to enhance your hadoken!"

[@moaijima]

The main characters in each SF game are 1: Ryu Alpha: Charlie/Cammy 2: Guile/Chun Li 4: Abel 5: Charlie/Rashid 3: Alex 6: Luke So if you think about it, Ryu is just the poster boy of the SF series. He had no connection towards Bison in SF2 (Guile was after Bison because he wanted revenge on him for killing Charlie)

[@KEN-1991]

In Street Fighter II, Ryu's connections are more against Sagat, Akuma, and me.

[@moaijima]

@@KEN-1991 Exactly, thank you Ken Masters 🤝

[@KEN-1991]

@@moaijima You’re welcome, bro. Speaking of Akuma, he should’ve been in this movie, Bolo Yeung would be great for the role.

[@mdamarley8646]

They could make a better storyline with ryu.

[@kahjunn9427]

To me Guile works better as the protagonist of SF2 because Ryu was just there to fight, while Guile has personal Beef with Bison.

[@boss_galaga94]

*strange sunset theme intensifies*

[@jpsailorallaboardmatey461]

Only person who should have been considered the star of that movie is Raul Julia

[@KEN-1991]

The Street Fighter movie would actually blow up %100 like Batman '89 if it only focused on the Shadaloo Warriors: Just only M. Bison (Raul Julia), Vega (Jay Tavare), Balrog (Grand L. Bush), Cammy (Kylie Minogue), Zangief (Andrew Bryniarski), and the film's heroine Chun Li (Ming Na Wen). Nobody else!

[@DarkknightChris]

He was the 1st Character shown in the Nintendo Power issue and most of us didn't hear about the 1st game. Going by that and the movie and the cartoon, it didn't accured to me that Ryu was the main character till I look Street Fighter on the web. So there may been a small time where people were unfamiliar that Ryu is that actual main character.

[@mattykessler658]

He also has one of if not the gratest theme song in any video game

[@jakoballfather224]

The cartoon also had Guile as the MC

[@tonythunder6048]

I always thought it was like Johnny cage in mk. Cause I’m the games, most of the time it’s Lui Kang as the protagonist, kinda. But in the movies and Mk9 (in the beginning cause I’m counting it) Johnny just has that main character energy cause you know he’s good at something, he just has to prove it. Ryu is main character in game cause yes (idk why tbh so ignore me) but I can see Guile making sense in the movie cause he army man, we know he good at something he just gotta prove it, that and maybe it’s hard making up a backstory that’s less complicated like the others idk

[@nehemiahpouncey3607]

I use to have the tank years ago an Figure.😂

[@theultimatek.i.m.m1504]

Too bad. I would've liked to have seen Kenya Sawada as Ryu and as the star of the story.

[@michaeljanis879]

I have always and will always love Street Fighter the movie. I know it's not perfect but as a kid it was my dad's action hero in a movie made for me.

[@BigCort]

I was always curious about this, JCVD was one of my favorite martial artists I just felt he never really fit as guile.

[@curbydinobot8633]

I always thougt Dolph Ludgren would have made a better Guile

[@BigCort]

@@curbydinobot8633 that would’ve work actually!

[@Kos4Evr]

Dolph lungren as guile and jcvd as johnny cage. As it always should have been.

[@A-Dubs398]

Cuz JCVD isn't American whatsoever.

[@KEN-1991]

@@A-Dubs398 JCVD also never did one Guile impression until the very end of the movie where he pulls out a comb. Guile fights with his fists up while JCVD fights with his fists down, he didn’t even do any wrestling moves, Van Damme just does his usual flashy Taekwondo kicks like in his other films.

[@darth_meme_lord2980]

It's still interesting to look back at so many ips from the 80s that were trying their best to sell toys

[@Palmroxx]

Guile, Chun Li and Cammy are very important though, they really are the main force fighting Shadaloo and Bison even slightly before the Van Damme movie. Guile and Chun Li's stories were the best and most personal in the original SF2. Ryu was always the focus but he was more just a force of reckoning and a quiet guy who got drawn into the middle of the Shadaloo crisis by fate and karma of the whole Sagat thing

[@knoble1985]

I had the Bison toy where his hands glow in the dark

[@alexstein934]

Guile and Ryu were the mane characters in SF2 the animated movie, Ryu should've had a big part in this movie too

[@ilovemoms5385]

But does he know what a Dhalsim is?!

[@kevincollins8620]

Hahaha!! I remember that from the commercial.

[@sorrycashonly5651]

Should have played Stallone as Ryu and time travel to grab the grown-up Brad Pit to play Ken

[@KEN-1991]

A better idea for 1994: · Dean Cain as Ryu · Brandon Lee as Me · Kurt Russell as Guile · Billy Blanks as Dee Jay · Gabriel Garko as Vega · Blanka, Zangief, Dhalsim, T. Hawk, Sagat, and Akuma made through CGI

[@mdamarley8646]

Street fighter movies should be much better with ryu as main character. His storyline is crazy .

[@juansutherland6055]

And it flopped😂😂😂

[@kevincollins8620]

The movie nor the toys flopped. I was around then

[@KEN-1991]

@@kevincollins8620 They we're a commercial success. But raised as much controversy from gaming geeks like how Batman Forever did from comic-book geeks.

[@slapshot68]

He starred in the animated series as well, Ryu should hav ben the leader

[@garfeld625]

Why would Guile be in a tank? He is in the airforce isn't he?

[@KEN-1991]

Yup, he also was in the Special Forces with Charlie Nash for a short time.

[@charliezelenowski2701]

Holy shit I had that Sonic Boom toy. I used to fight my action man car with it.

[@HaseebTalk]

Because Guile has a personal bone to pick with Bison, unlike Ryu.

[@shann2197]

How you don't put his theme song into a short about him

[@ninjaboom3128]

I mean, now I kinda want to watch that movie because it stars a character that would most likely not be a main character as the main character

[@combomonk]

cause he had a kickass theme

[@Dante_yo_son_of_sparda_yo77]

Honestly I want some street fighter action figures

[@albertkraus4917]

Cool

[@bryanreyes7382]

I'm a huge fan of Van Damme

[@DemiGodX]

It’s not common for Hollywood to give a asian man the lead role back then

[@KEN-1991]

Not just Asians. Remember that movie The Warriors? In the underrated book version, the central gang was Black & Hispanic; in the cult-classic film version, the gang is predominantly Black & White because Caucasian actors are more high-grossing during the pre-woke era.

[@terrealexander4442]

I honestly thought the same thing

[@MegaManDBZX]

I thought they just wanted Johnny Cage to combine the two universes.

[@KEN-1991]

Ryu and Ken in the movie looked just like Liu Kang and Johnny Cage.

[@strykersteel3914]

Yeah Guile the ultimate American name.. 👏🏼

[@popixel]

I hated the SF2 toys when I was young. At this point in life I wish I had collected them all.

[@KEN-1991]

Japan had better SF2 toys than the US.

[@popixel]

@@KEN-1991 I’ll bet they did.

[@Gildhattie]

Still myy GOAT video game and arcade game!

[@dalesanteford7432]

I grew up with the Hasbro GI Joe in Street Fighter that was happy to have all the figures the popularity with guile had to go with Hasbro and with John Claude Van Damme they probably did the same deal with Mortal Kombat g.i. Joe

[@dalesanteford7432]

They reuse the eco-warriors playset and turn into a street fighter base come with Ryu you and Ken

[@J4Y84]

Blanka Looks Great in this Commercial though! 😈

[@PopCultureAnticSS]

I would assume at the time growing up kids and adults would relate to a USA character

[@dmen0563]

The cartoon was guile led too

[@framingmachine3950]

thanx for this. i never understood that. actually the entire generation did not understand this. all around hotrible movie

[@InsomniaDaydreamer]

I thought Guile was just really, really cool.

[@starkishathebisha]

Guile’s cool af

[@JT_SOG_513]

🇺🇸 😊

[@MaxBraver555]

that's right, when you think of Street Fighter, you think of tanks and GI Joe

[@Splatterhouse20102]

And because Guille is played by Jean Claude Van Damne.

[@585totodamgood]

Because the movie was made to appeal to the American audience… Oh yeah, and it was made by Hollyweird!

[@KEN-1991]

Hollyweird... They never do video games justice.

[@JonJon-co3zj]

Ryu

[@neonsamurai4604]

Guile was more lore important in SF2 story

[@KEN-1991]

Same with Chun Li, Cammy, and M. Bison. Every adaptation they're in is nearly faithful to their origins.

[@keithhightower646]

...yeah, Jean Claude VanDame is really, really,...American😂

[@Thekidsinafrica14]

The perfect person for guile imo would’ve been dolph lundren

[@KEN-1991]

Lundgren would be a great Guile if he weren't so tall and Germanic.

[@Thekidsinafrica14]

@@KEN-1991 in the game guille is tall and huge. The dolph Lundgren from Rocky 4 Looks like a perfect guille.

[@KEN-1991]

⁠@@Thekidsinafrica14 Guile is like 5'11" (6'2" including hair), and Lundgren is like the same size as Zangief's actor.

[@Thekidsinafrica14]

@@KEN-1991 I’m talking in terms of looks. Dolph lundren looks just like guile

[@Darwingreen5]

Shame Abel wasn't a thing then. Would have been a better character to cast Jean Claude as.

[@younlion08]

Well the main theme of the series is that they're trying to take down Shadoloo. Just saying.

[@jermainemorton5635]

One of the reasons why is probably because people are tired of seeing ryu as the face of streetfighter I know I am

[@ThickmintTheGamer]

Guile is in the air force, why would he be in a tank?

[@Carlinisalive]

Because ’Murica

[@legendfang]

Because Hollywood.

[@minervaolivarmarin3749]

Creo que en vez de jeanclaude como Guile abria quedado mejor dolph lungrent.

[@NihilIslands]

Vandamme , no! Dolph Lundgren shouldve been Guile, Tom Ford Sagat

[@datguy5818]

Loool. America makes me laugh

[@Moneyman-lx3nw]

British crown

[@cs-zz7jd]

Murica! MUR!!!

[@kaom4713]

To be fair guile is the main character of street fighter 2 and on. What the hell does Ryu even have to do with shadowloo? The only games I can say Ryu is the true protagonist is SF1, SFA1-A3 (I consider Charlie the protagonist of A2) and SF4. Guile has more to do with the main bad guys than Ryu does. Akuma has NOTHING to do with the main story and he’s Ryu’s rival.

[@kaom4713]

And the reason why I consider Ryu and no Charlie for Alpha 1 is because I think the battle between Ryu and Sagat was the main plot of that game. Alpha 3 had a lot of characters and while guile and Charlie are in the game and have more sensible endings. I think capcom officially said that Ryu’s ending was canon for that game

[@Adrian-jy2iz]

por que El es El fokin van dam

[@bkjj13]

because Muricaaa

[@steviejetera1601]

Well Ain't that America

[@lordronn472]

Basically the same mistake as in MK2021 movie except in that movie the mistake was far worse

[@GideonFrost]

Pfft. I wanted red Chun-Li more than all of em

[@leonciobogard9015]

Because Murica. That's why.

[@ricardonorden3935]

Just for america 🇺🇸.

[@joenormal1854]

Merica

[@danabney4433]

The backwards flags hurt my brain!

[@richardmackenzie1878]

I just assumed it was because white westerners weren't very receptive to a Asian main character, the same reason karate kid was cast as a white guy

[@uwuloluwu]

Only movie that beat sf movie is dragonball evo

[@fidelluz2942]

because America. Also Ken has a bigger role than Ryu for the same reason

[@Kos4Evr]

I mean as a character with little to no backstory in the 90s, ryu would have been a boring character in a hollywood movie. Though making him comic relief was just wrong. Guile had a backstory, a reason to fight and a method to the madness. It was just easier to pitch an american character as the star of an american movie. That said it was still a very bad movie. Mortal kombat kicked this movies ass so hard it got a sequel. A dumptster fire that should never be spoken of, but it must be acknowledged.

[@MyChocow]

so America

[@mangustoooo]

cause murica

[@daveshen0880]

And why is E. Honda hawaiian guy in movie? Not a japanese.

[@KEN-1991]

Because there are no sumo Hollywood actors with a valuable acting resumé, also Hawaiian Honda's actor has the build they were looking for: Being over 275 lbs and being 6'1" just like Japanese Honda.

[@daveshen0880]

@@KEN-1991 Well. He doesnt look like japanese.

[@metrowater2819]

Cause ryu is overrated and boring. Guile is the truth

[@KEN-1991]

E. Honda is the only overrated and boring SFII member.

[@championmetal953]

To be honest, all Street Fighter characters can be boring in reality, especially Guile.

[@Nimonjeua-Ndiangang]

...we all know why

[@thajulariffin6273]

because is america..never want lose..like film black hawk down..in reality who save america soldier???

[@hjames78]

American.....yeap go get a Belgium guy who has a Belgium accent to play him smh

[@KEN-1991]

Capcom of Japan actually agreed on the casting choice because they have no idea nor an understanding of how Van Damme's English sounds to the role of Guile.