Ahead of its release later this month, marketing for the Street Fighter movie has focused on deep references to the long-running fighting game series. How deep? We already knew that fighting game legend Justin Wong–alongside Michael “IFC Yipes” Mendoza–was making a cameo as one of the inmates who watches Ryu take on Blanka in a prison fight, but even his prisoner costume hides one heck of an Easter egg. Any fighting game fan will instantly recognize it: on Wong’s neck, you can spot the number 37, a reference to the legendary Evo Moment 37.
In a new behind-the-scenes video, Wong detailed the time he spent on the Street Fighter movie set getting fake dirt and dressing up for his cameo. If you’re unfamiliar with the significance of the fake 37 tattoo his character sports, it’s a deep-cut nod to what many consider one of the greatest fighting game comebacks in history. Back in 2004, Wong faced off against Daigo Umehara, and with his chosen brawler, Chun-Li, down to just a sliver of health and backed into a corner, Wong parried over a dozen attacks from Umehara’s Ken Masters and found the perfect window to counter the onslaught.
It’s a moment that has yet to be equaled within the fighting game community, with the clip earning an obscene number of views over the decades. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the accuracy the Street Fighter movie is aiming for, as the film embraces the unique look of the Capcom games with its choice of costumes, special attacks, and goofy hairstyles that double as the perfect popcorn bucket. Chun-Li actress Callina Liang even went the extra mile to get into fighting shape for the movie, focusing on conditioning her thighs to look impressively muscular and memorizing Chun-Li’s various attacks.
On the audio side, composers Leo Birenberg and Zach Robinson (Cobra Kai) have even used classic video game soundtracks for the film’s score, including a new version of Guile’s theme that fits everything. Street Fighter hits theaters on October 16.
