Fei Long rumor regarding his SF future (debunked, page 3)

[Alyce: Old Media Enthusiast]

www.nintendolife.com/news/2022/05/fei-long-will-never-appear-in-street-fighter-again-says-sfv-composer

Street Fighter fans might want to pour one out for a favourite character that's been a part of the series every since Super Street Fighter II, at least according to Street Fighter 5 composer Daniel Lindholm. As you'll have seen if you read the headline and saw the image above, it seems that Fei Long may not feature at all in future Street Fighter games.

The character Fei Long, a martial artist and action film star from Hong Kong, is Capcom's tribute to legendary martial artist and action film star Bruce Lee, and it seems that the Lee family has recently changed its mind when it comes to non-serious depictions of the deceased actor.

As discussed in the composer's streamed YouTube Q&A (see below) on 7th May, comedic interpretations are reportedly a sticking point. Lindholm says that depictions must be 'honourable' from this point on:

A character that I know we won't see at all — there's been a lot of discussion about it — I mentioned earlier a character I would like to rewrite the music for would be Fei Long.

I do have other sources — not only Capcom, but friends of mine in the U.S., who are very close friends with the Lee family — and they have basically said that any kind of resemblance to Mr. Bruce Lee is now omitted for comedic effect, comic stuff. It needs to be honourable.

That’s why we won’t see Fei Long again. Ever.

Likely similar case with Tekken and the Laws.

[S-Chrome]

I never had an inkling that Fei-Long was portrayed as a comedic character.

[A Platypus Rave]

May 10, 2022 23:01:46 GMT -5 S-Chrome said:

I never had an inkling that Fei-Long was portrayed as a comedic character.

Yeah, that's what I don't get.

Fei Long was just... Bruce Lee... only in Street Fighter.

He wasn't really a joke... he's like every fighting game having a character that was clearly based on Bruce... like Liu Kang.

[The Summer of Muskrat XVII]

He was one of those dudes I barely acknowledged in SF, so this is t crushing me. I was gonna say most of my SF II was OG and Dash, but they totally added him to SSF 4 didn’t they?

[Lizuka #BLM]

This is the kind of, "Yeah, sure, I'm sure this will be honored for all time, forever," thing I'm inclined to not take at all seriously to begin with, but even if I did... Fei Long is like by far the most boring of the Street Fighter 2 cast anyway.

[Mozenrath]

I don't think he's an especially comedic character at all, really, but beyond that, they could also just move him away from Bruce, same as how Marshall Law and Forrest Law in Tekken became less Bruce-like over time.

Give him a beard and style his hair differently, and it'd be kosher.

[mrtuesday]

Meanwhile, Neatherrealm made Liu Kang a god. Let's see how that turns out.

[Johnny B. Decent]

I would see this more of an issue for Tekken as Marshall Law is a total loser nowadays.

For Fei-Long, his original ending basically confirmed Bruce and Brandon Lee existed in the SF-verse, and how he strives to their example, so I can't see how he's not respectful.

[thechase]

There's always something with that Fei Long
He's an a**hole

[Welfare Willis]

I get the feeling this is very much due to the portrayal of Bruce Lee in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Lee's wife and daughter has been outspoken about his portrayal in it. So now the Lee family will tow a harder line on media portrayals.

[Dub H]

May 10, 2022 23:01:46 GMT -5 S-Chrome said:

I never had an inkling that Fei-Long was portrayed as a comedic character.

Honestly in SF4 it felt a little comedic,his facial expressions especially.

His quotes were much more jokey, the WATAAH felt much more overplayed and overused.

[burdette25159]

Guessing that likely means Momo Karuizawa or Hinata will likely take Fei Long's spot.

[Non Banjoble Tokens]

The character in the next movie will now be played by some hot Australian girl.

[Spider2024]

His stage music in SSF2 is one of my all-time favorites, tho:

[jimmyjackezekiel]

That is such a load of B.S.

and I say that as someone who is not even a big Street Fighter fan.

[chrom]

At what point has he ever been presented as mocking or making fun of Bruce Lee?

[Vice honcho room temperature]

May 11, 2022 0:10:53 GMT -5 mrtuesday said:

Meanwhile, Neatherrealm made Liu Kang a god. Let's see how that turns out.

And a zombie and a ghost. Liu Kang has done alot.

Reading the quote it doesn't sound like Fei Long himself is comedic but I guess they don't want to take a chance that having him fight a green electric guy or a stretchy yoga guy is seen as comedic.

[CMWaters]

May 11, 2022 8:02:43 GMT -5 Vice honcho room temperature said:

May 11, 2022 0:10:53 GMT -5 mrtuesday said:

Meanwhile, Neatherrealm made Liu Kang a god. Let's see how that turns out.

And a zombie and a ghost. Liu Kang has done alot.

Reading the quote it doesn't sound like Fei Long himself is comedic but I guess they don't want to take a chance that having him fight a green electric guy or a stretchy yoga guy is seen as comedic.

Whereas Bruce himself on camera fought a guy in green shorts and a yellow cape.

[Vice honcho room temperature]

May 11, 2022 8:16:06 GMT -5 CMWaters said:

May 11, 2022 8:02:43 GMT -5 Vice honcho room temperature said:

And a zombie and a ghost. Liu Kang has done alot.

Reading the quote it doesn't sound like Fei Long himself is comedic but I guess they don't want to take a chance that having him fight a green electric guy or a stretchy yoga guy is seen as comedic.

Whereas Bruce himself on camera fought a guy in green shorts and a yellow cape.

Some people just have selective blindness at times and like I said Capcom might just figure its not worth it for a character that's only kinda fondly remembered at best.

[Burst]

Honestly, of all the various Bruce Lee homages/ripoffs in fighting games and such over time, Fei Long always felt like the... lowest effort? For as many cultural stereotypes and shameless ripoffs of other media there are in early Street Fighter, he's damn near just a 1:1 translation and I agree that he was always kind of the least interesting of the SF2/SSF2 cast.

Will be curious if they attempt to enforce this in terms of more indirect things like all the various imitators of his kiai, from Kenshiro to Liu Kang, or if it's for more direct portrayals only.