Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson Joins Street Fighter Film as Balrog, Will Perform His Own Stunts

Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson is ready to throw hands—on the big screen.

The rapper-turned-mogul is the latest star to join the upcoming Legendary Entertainment adaptation of Street Fighter, the iconic Capcom video game franchise. Jackson has been cast as Balrog, the disgraced boxer-turned-bodyguard of the series’ main villain. Sources say he’s currently deep into training and plans to perform all his own stunts for the role.

Jackson joins a bold and diverse ensemble cast that includes:

• Jason Momoa as Blanka
• Noah Centineo as Ken
• Orville Peck, the openly gay country singer, as Vega
• Joe Anoa’i (aka WWE’s Roman Reigns) as Akuma
• Andrew Koji (Warrior) as lead fighter Ryu
• Callina Liang (Presence) as Chun-Li

Kitao Sakurai, known for The Eric Andre Show, is directing the project, which begins production this August in Australia. While Legendary has yet to officially comment on the cast or plot, excitement is building for what could be one of the most unique video game adaptations to date. The film is being co-developed and co-produced with Capcom.

The Street Fighter franchise debuted in arcades in 1987 and hit a cultural peak with Street Fighter II in 1991, a genre-defining classic in one-on-one fighting games. The most recent entry, Street Fighter 6, released in June 2023, won Best Fighting Game at the 2023 Game Awards.

For Jackson, this is another high-profile move in a career that continues to expand beyond music. The Grammy-winning artist, who has sold more than 30 million albums, has built a formidable empire in television and film. His G-Unit Film & Television is behind the Power universe on Starz, For Life on ABC, and recently wrapped season 4 of Black Mafia Family along with a second season of the docuseries.

In 2024, Jackson partnered with Lionsgate to launch 50 Cent Action, a FAST channel that quickly became the No. 1 action channel on Roku and LG’s platforms.

From chart-topping albums to premium drama series and now fight-heavy blockbusters, 50 Cent is once again proving he’s a force in every lane he steps into.