The Spanish box office welcomes one of the most varied weeks of the season this Friday, October 16, 2026, with 16 films ranging from big-budget video game spectacles to Japanese auteur cinema, as well as horror, romantic comedy, and several documentaries. This combination makes the date a must-see for any film fan, regardless of their tastes.
The main event is the return of Street Fighter to the big screen, more than three decades after the attempt starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. But it is not the only draw: Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton star in a comedy about a dinner party gone wrong, and Josh Brolin finds himself in the belly of a whale in a survival thriller. Below, we review the most notable releases of the week.
Street Fighter: The Return of Ryu, Ken, and Chun-Li
Director Kitao Sakurai helms this new adaptation of the Capcom video game, with Andrew Koji as Ryu, Noah Centineo as Ken, Callina Liang as Chun-Li, Jason Momoa as Blanka, and David Dastmalchian as M. Bison. The cast is rounded out by Joe Anoa'i (Roman Reigns) and Cody Rhodes.
The plot is set in 1993, at the height of the Street Fighter II craze. Ryu and Ken, long estranged, reunite thanks to Chun-Li to participate in the World Warrior Tournament, a competition that hides a conspiracy much larger than it appears at first glance.
A Cast That Sparks Curiosity
The presence of Jason Momoa playing Blanka is one of the most discussed casting decisions of the production. Sakurai's challenge is to turn characters designed for combat into protagonists of a story that works beyond the tournament, something that long-time fans of the saga will be watching with special attention.
The Invite: A Dinner with Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton
Olivia Wilde directs and stars in The Invite, alongside Penélope Cruz, Edward Norton, and Seth Rogen. The film is a new adaptation of the story that Cesc Gay brought to Spanish cinema in Sentimental.
Joe and Angela are going through a relationship crisis and decide to invite their neighbors, Pina and Hawk, to dinner, looking for a different kind of night. The conversation soon turns to confessions and uncomfortable truths that put both couples to the test.
Whalefall: Trapped Inside a Whale
Brian Duffield, director of No One Will Save You, adapts the novel by Daniel Kraus with Austin Abrams in the lead role. His character, Jay Gardiner, dives off the coast of California to search for his father's remains, played by Josh Brolin, and ends up swallowed by a whale with barely an hour of oxygen left.
The cast also includes Elisabeth Shue, John Ortiz, Jane Levy, and Emily Rudd in a thriller that combines physical tension with a family drama about grief and memories.
Other Notable Releases of the Week
La maleta, a Spanish comedy involving terrorists
Carlos Therón directs this production starring Lucía Caraballo, Alejandro Speitzer, Leonor Watling, David Lorente, and Víctor Clavijo. Laura and Nacho meet on a flight and decide to leave their romantic future to the luck of their suitcases on the baggage carousel, until a trap set by Laura gets them into trouble with some terrorists.
Boiúna: The Legend of the Amazon
Directed by Mike P. Nelson, this monster movie follows a group of doctors who, during a humanitarian mission on the Curuçá River, awaken an ancient predator. Starring Kiana Madeira, Jessica Rothe, and Logan Marshall-Green.
El mal hijo, Jaime Lorente’s directorial debut
The actor from Money Heist and Elite directs and co-writes this family drama alongside Salvador S. Molina, with Miguel Ángel Puro and Susi Sánchez in the cast. The story follows Rubén, who at eleven years old must move in with his grandmother after his father's disappearance.
Kakeru (Sheep in the Box), by Hirokazu Koreeda
The Japanese director explores artificial intelligence from an intimate perspective: a couple who has lost their son takes in a humanoid child with his same appearance. Starring Haruka Ayase, Rimu Kuwaki, and Daigo Yamamoto.
Chopin, the biopic of the composer
Polish director Michał Kwieciński revisits the most successful years of Frédéric Chopin in Paris, while he struggles against the illness that would end his life. Starring Eryk Kulm, alongside Lambert Wilson.
Cars returns for its 20th anniversary
Pixar re-releases the film directed by John Lasseter in 2006, featuring the original voices of Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, and Bonnie Hunt. The film grossed approximately $462 million worldwide at the time and earned two Oscar nominations.
Nightborn, the new horror film from Rupert Grint
Directed by Hanna Bergholm (Hatching), this Finnish production follows a married couple who move into an isolated house in the woods after the birth of their son, when disturbing behaviors begin to emerge. Starring Seidi Haarla and Rupert Grint.
Exorcism Chronicles: The Beginning
This South Korean animated film directed by Kim Dong-Chul, originally released in 2024, follows an excommunicated priest who faces demonic forces after receiving a request for help related to a child.
The Devils, Ken Russell’s classic in 4K
The controversial film directed by Ken Russell in 1971 returns restored in 4K. Starring Oliver Reed and Vanessa Redgrave, it recreates the historical events of Loudun and the accusations of heresy and demonic possession in 17th-century France.
Three documentaries to round out the week
Parkour in Gaza, directed by Areeb Zuaiter, explores the practice of parkour in the Palestinian territory through the relationship with athlete Ahmad Matar. Miss Jobson, by Amanda Sans Pantling, portrays Diane Jobson, a lawyer and close friend of Bob Marley. And La voz quebrada, directed by Manuel Menchón and featuring Álvaro Morte, recovers the relationship between Federico García Lorca and Juan Ramírez de Lucas, interrupted by the poet's assassination in 1936, in the year of its 90th anniversary.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the new Street Fighter movie released?
It arrives in Spanish theaters on Friday, October 16, 2026, directed by Kitao Sakurai.
Who stars in The Invite alongside Penélope Cruz?
She is joined by Edward Norton and Seth Rogen, under the direction of Olivia Wilde, who also acts in the film.
Which actor plays Blanka in Street Fighter?
Jason Momoa plays Blanka in this new adaptation of the Capcom video game.
What is Whalefall with Josh Brolin about?
It is a survival thriller directed by Brian Duffield in which a young man, played by Austin Abrams, becomes trapped inside a whale while searching for his father's remains.
Why is Cars being re-released in theaters in 2026?
Pixar is bringing the film back to theaters to mark its twentieth anniversary, two decades after its original 2006 release.
Is this Jaime Lorente’s debut as a film director?
Yes, El mal hijo is his first feature film as a director, a family drama that he also co-wrote with Salvador S. Molina.
