Street Fighter opens in Malaysia on 15 October, with IMAX at 15 cinemas

Street Fighter opens in Malaysia on Thursday 15 October, a day before its American release, and it is the week's big-format film: 351 of its 2,883 sessions this week are in IMAX, at 15 cinemas. It is listed at 112 cinemas, with 612 sessions on the first day alone.

A day ahead of America

Paramount's own page gives the film's theatrical date as 16 October, and The Edge Malaysia, in a wire report on the new Skydance's plans, notes that Paramount is releasing it under a distribution deal with Legendary Entertainment. The Numbers lists earlier openings on 14 October in South Korea, France and Belgium, so the first box office figures will come from those markets and from America's weekend.

Ryu, Ken and a tournament

Paramount's synopsis is set in 1993: the estranged Ryu and Ken are recruited by Chun-Li for the World Warrior Tournament. The Star's preview names Noah Centineo, Andrew Koji, Callina Liang and Jason Momoa among the fighters. The Numbers' cast list puts Centineo as Ken, Koji as Ryu and Liang as Chun-Li, with Momoa as Blanka, David Dastmalchian as M. Bison, Roman Reigns as Akuma, Cody Rhodes as Guile and 50 Cent as Balrog. Kitao Sakurai directs.

Where the hall matters

A fighting film is the case for a premium hall, and the chains have laid them on. Besides the IMAX sessions there are 83 in D-BOX at 11 cinemas, 180 in Dolby Atmos, 59 in 4DX at five cinemas and 47 in ScreenX at two. TGV lists 1,463 sessions this week and GSC 1,195; Mega, 10 Star, AE Cinemas, Grand Cineplex, Dadi and One Cinemas share the rest. Kuala Lumpur has the most, 730, then Selangor with 654 and Johor with 334.

Malls with the most fights

TGV Suria KLCC has the most Street Fighter sessions this week, 72, followed by GSC's Aurum at The Exchange TRX with 68, TGV Sunway Pyramid with 63 and TGV Pavilion Bukit Jalil with 53. On the first day GSC Mid Valley leads with 16. East Malaysia is well served for once: Sarawak has 216 sessions and Sabah 135, more than either has for any other opening this week. By Saturday the film is still at 106 cinemas with 489 sessions, so there is no need to rush on day one unless the IMAX seat is the point.

Before you book

The chains classify it 16 and list it at 119 minutes. The first sessions start at midnight tonight, and 149 sessions in the week begin at 11:30pm or later. The Street Fighter page shows every cinema and format, and the showtimes page lines up each cinema's Street Fighter sessions, with IMAX and 4DX marked on each time.