Andrew Schulz is such a charmer. Mere seconds into our chat, it was already obvious that the American humorist, actor and podcaster knew precisely learn how to work his crowd. Earlier than I may thank him for taking the day out to talk with me, he beat me to the pleasantries: “Ayaan! It’s nice to see that hair on video, man!” This was a primary for me: an interviewee who had truly performed his homework on me earlier than the interview. “Something for The Hindu, man. I noticed you interview Christopher Nolan, dude. Thank YOU for taking the time.” I blushed.
What’s humorous is that anybody conversant in the New Yorker’s stand-up specials will know that an nearly pathological disregard for taking part in good are central to his comedic type. It’s in all probability why he was recruited for Legendary Photos’ new adaptation of Capcom’s iconic fighting-game franchise Street Fighter — what higher character for Andrew to play than Dan Hibiki?
Launched in Road Fighter Alpha, Dan Hibiki is a gag character addition to a franchise populated with self-serious martial artists; a brash, overconfident wannabe whose precise talents hardly ever justify his inflated self-belief. Andrew was unfamiliar with the character when producer Cale Boyter approached him in regards to the function. “I didn’t know something about Dan. I’m previous, so I performed the early iterations of the sport,” he stated. Some research revealed that Dan had been created to poke enjoyable at a rival videogame franchise, making him an particularly humiliating selection in a aggressive match. “If you happen to select Dan, you’re mainly saying that the man that you simply’re taking part in sucks so unhealthy. It’s such as you’re taking part in FIFA and also you select an MLS group. That’s what Dan’s the equal of. (Shout out to the MLS, we’re doing our greatest).” What appealed to Andrew although, was that Dan stays blissfully unaware of his shortcomings. “He thinks he’s pretty much as good as the remainder. He thinks he can do some little bit of all of it.” His attraction, Andrew reckoned, lay in exactly that delusional optimism, which he felt his personal comedic instincts may deliver to the function.
Andrew Schulz as Dan Hibiki in a nonetheless from ‘Road Fighter’
| Photograph Credit score:
Legendary Photos
First launched in arcades in 1987, Capcom’s Road Fighter helped outline the fighting-game style, with its sequel spawning a world arcade obsession that may ultimately face competitors from franchises comparable to Mortal Kombat and Tekken. Andrew’s personal relationship with the sport nonetheless, started lengthy earlier than any of that mattered. “I performed Ryu. We referred to as him ‘Rai’. I feel it wasn’t till I used to be within the film that I realised it’s been Ryu the entire time.”
Rising up on Manhattan’s Higher West Facet, he remembers being repeatedly thrashed by Sagat and managing to defeat Vega precisely as soon as, a victory he nonetheless appears reluctant to overstate. “There was this factor within the earlier iterations of the sport the place Vega, the character with the claw, would climb on the fence when he was beginning to get low on energy. I keep in mind as a child, you needed to assault whereas doing that flying upper-cut. And I simply may by no means handle to get it.” His eventual victory over Vega supplied little respite, since Sagat proceeded to dominate him for hours. By center college, the obsession had migrated to Marvel vs. Capcom, which he and his pals performed at a deli close to seventieth Road throughout their 40-minute lunch breaks at Wagner Center Faculty. Andrew would pilfer cash from his mother and father’ change saucer, purchase an 80-cent buttered bagel and spend no matter remained on the arcade machine. “It was simply one of the best sport ever.”
A nonetheless from the ‘Road Fighter’ arcade sport
| Photograph Credit score:
Capcom
The 2026 adaptation isn’t Road Fighter‘s first journey to the massive display. The 1994 movie, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme as Guile, has since acquired cult standing, though Andrew hasn’t felt compelled to revisit it. “I’ll be sincere with you. I didn’t watch it. I simply keep in mind it being horrible.” He does, nonetheless, have a tender spot for Raul Julia, whose efficiency as M. Bison was knowledgeable by the actor’s terminal most cancers prognosis and his want to make the movie for his kids, who beloved the sport. “He simply gave every little thing to the function. So there’s some cool lore to it.” His reservations in regards to the movie’s casting, in the meantime, are significantly much less sentimental. “Guile can’t have a overseas accent. That is the American man. He’s actually sporting an American Military outfit. And he seems like he’s from Luxembourg.” Andrew reckons the brand new movie has not less than obtained that a lot proper.
Jean-Claude Van Damme as Guile in a nonetheless from ‘Road Fighter’ (1994)
| Photograph Credit score:
Common Photos
Directed by Kitao Sakurai, the brand new Road Fighter brings collectively an eclectic forged that features Andrew Koji as Ryu, Noah Centineo as Ken Masters, Callina Liang as Chun-Li, Vidyut Jammwal as Dhalsim, and lots of extra. I requested Andrew what number of of his co-stars may truly throw a punch with out requiring a stunt double to protect their dignity. “Right here’s the truth. There’s solely in all probability two guys on set that may truly combat: Andrew Koji and Vidyut Jammwal. Outdoors of that, it’s individuals who can type of fake combat.” He counts himself and 50 Cent amongst these with some boxing expertise, however distinguishes that from the talents of Koji and Vidyut, whom he considers real martial artists. Vidyut particularly, launched him to Kalaripayattu, the normal Indian martial artwork, prompting Andrew to analyze his filmography. “His stunt work is insane. I noticed him bounce via a automotive window. It’s ridiculous.”
Andrew believes the surge in video-game variations comes all the way down to the emotional funding audiences have already got within the supply materials. “Video video games to males are like books to girls,” he stated, pointing to Rebecca Yarros’ Fourth Wing because the kind of literary phenomenon whose eventual movie adaptation may make “a gazillion {dollars}”. His argument is that years spent taking part in a sport creates a deep sense of familiarity — he remembers placing 1 / 4 down on an arcade machine to assert the following flip, and the way being good at Road Fighter may make you immediately widespread at a brand new child’s home. “It was a good way to fulfill pals. It was a good way to create enemies.”
As for promoting the movie to anybody who hasn’t spent years perfecting a Hadouken, his recommendation is characteristically unhelpful: “I’d say go watch Barbie.” He suspects some viewers will flip up for Noah Centineo and Andrew Koji’s abs, although his personal physique is not going to be competing for his or her consideration. Having requested producer Cale Boyter whether or not he ought to get ripped for the function, Andrew was instructed to “simply be humorous”, at which level he promptly deserted the health club and spent a lot of his two-month stint in Australia on the craft-services desk.
Andrew nonetheless has fond recollections of Steel Gear Stable, Silent Hill and Resident Evil, however Road Fighter stays his favorite, with out query. “These are my earliest recollections taking part in it. I barely keep in mind even taking part in Mario.” And lest anybody mistake his enthusiasm for the franchise for mere nostalgia, he has a very particular brag to again it up: he as soon as beat the director of the particular Road Fighter sport whereas taking part in as Dan Hibiki. “I performed him as Dan, and I beat him. And I videoed it. I’ve obtained to publish that video.” Andrew concedes that his opponent was in all probability taking it straightforward, however has no intention of letting that qualification spoil a wonderfully good boast. “I’m going to inform all people that I beat him as Dan. As a result of I’m that devoted. I don’t wish to beat you as one of many sturdy characters. I wish to beat you because the weakest.” One suspects Dan would approve.
Andrew is equally passionate about lastly bringing his stand-up to India. “India’s been very supportive of me by way of stand-up and sharing my clips. It has been extremely instrumental in constructing my profession.” He says a tour is “100% going to occur” on his subsequent run, earlier than issuing one closing instruction to me: “I higher see you on the market on the present. And I would like that hair intact. Don’t you get a buzz lower earlier than I come on the market. I must see it in particular person.” Take into account my locks formally underneath contract.
Road Fighter releases in Indian theatres on October 16
Revealed – October 13, 2026 06:08 pm IST