Variety reports that more of the Street Fighter remake cast is coming together. Actually, it should be noted this is not exactly a remake as much as a relaunch of the potential franchise. The announced cast includes Michael Clarke Duncan, Kristen Kreuk and Chris Klein. Yes, those are crickets you hear.

Fourteen years ago the idea of a Street Fighter film sounded like a good idea. The game was wildly popular in arcades and the core cast was widely known by gamers. Fourteen years later is a lifetime in gaming. Many younger gamers don’t even know the characters or their stories anymore. The heyday of fighting games has long passed. Studio executives would be better off making a Guitar Hero game, if popularity was their only concern.

So, why make another Street Fighter movie? In many ways it and Mortal Kombat (also getting a new film) are perfect for the transition to the big screen. They’re notable by name, if not story. They are basically excuses to produce cheap action films with a built-in audience for the opening weekend. Action films don’t exactly sell like they did twenty years ago, at least not on the name of an actor alone. You either need a gimmick (see Crank), or you need a known property (see the rash of comic book films).

Regardless of how the final film turns out, the producers will likely make a tidy profit with a nice opening weekend in both the USA and Japan. While many continue to clamor for a decent game to film translation, the truth is that movie studios really don’t care. They’re more interested in the quick buck, and certainly Street Fighter fits that bill easier than a big budget and big risk Halo adaptation might.