Bartkowiak Doom-ing Street Fighter movie

With a solid cast and a decent budget, hopes were high for the big-screen adaptation of the classic id Software shooter Doom. However, when the film hit theaters in the summer of 2005, it wasn't exactly a box-office BFG. The poorly reviewed film only grossed $28 million at US theaters, thanks to a backlash by gamers against the liberties it took with the source material's plot.

A good portion of the blame for the Doom disappointment goes to director Andrzej Bartkowiak (Romeo Must Die, Cradle 2 tha Grave). However, in the tradition of Paul W. S. Anderson (Resident Evil, AVP: Alien vs. Predator), the filmmaker's failure is being rewarded with another job--on another game adaptation, no less.

Variety is reporting that Bartkowiak has been picked to direct a new movie based on Street Fighter. Partially financed by Capcom as part of its effort to branch out into Western media, the project will begin filming next year with Ashok Amritraj and Patrick Aiello of Hyde Park Productions. It will be the second live-action feature based on the fight-game franchise. The first was 1994's Street Fighter, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, as well as Raul Julia in his final role.