Street Fighter Director Says Sagat Cut Was Intentional
Kitao Sakurai said Sagat was held back for a possible sequel and revealed a cut M. Bison scene, according to movieweb.com.
Director Kitao Sakurai said Sagat's absence from the new live-action Street Fighter film was a deliberate choice rather than an oversight, according to movieweb.com. Sakurai explained that the character was held back so the story would have room to grow, and that he did not want Sagat to be a throwaway character.
The film's mid-credit scene hints that Sagat will be a key villain if a sequel moves forward. Sakurai said he enjoys the fan debate over the character's absence from the main roster.
Sakurai also said limited shooting days and screen time forced him to cut planned dream match-ups between characters, with the film instead focusing on Ken Masters and Ryu. He confirmed that one deleted scene featured M. Bison delivering a long speech about burning down a railway car full of his childhood abusers.
Background from the games
Sagat was a tournament boss in the 1990s games, faced second-to-last before M. Bison in Street Fighter II, and his history is tied to Dan Hibiki's backstory. The new film was released on October 16, 2026, with a 119-minute runtime and a roster drawing on Fighting Street, Street Fighter IV, Street Fighter Alpha 3 and Super Street Fighter II: The New Challengers, including Cammy, Dan, Juli, Joe and El Fuerte.
The film has divided critics and audiences on Rotten Tomatoes and is struggling at the box office after a disappointing debut.
Quick answers
Why is Sagat not in the new Street Fighter movie?
Director Kitao Sakurai said the omission was intentional: the filmmakers wanted to leave room for the story to grow and did not want Sagat to be a throwaway character.
Will Sagat appear in a Street Fighter sequel?
The film's mid-credit scene hints Sagat will be a key villain in a potential sequel, but no sequel has been confirmed in the given facts.
When was the live-action Street Fighter film released?
It was released on October 16, 2026, and runs 119 minutes.