Variety is reporting that Hyde Park Entertainment and video game maker Capcom Ltd. have formed a joint venture to produce a new Street Fighter live action film for release in 2008, which will be the 20th anniversary of the Street Fighter video game.  Screenwriter Justin Marks, who has just finished writing Voltron for producer Mark Gordon, has been hired to pen the script for the new live action Street Fighter film, which will focus on the exploits of Chun Li, the game's most popular female fighter.

 

In 1994 Jean Claude Van Damme starred in the first Hollywood live action Street Fighter film.  Earlier this year Manga Entertainment released the Street Fighter II anime feature in its uncut form for the first time here in the States and it was one of the top anime releases of the summer.  Early next year Sota Toys is planning to release a new series of Street Fighter Action Figures, which testifies to the enduring appeal of the property.  Although it may no longer be 'state-of-the-art' in the highly competitive fighting video game category, more than 25 million Street Fighter games have been sold as well as 500,000 arcade units.