A new rumor is suggesting a Street Fighter mainstay character will never return – due to the legacy of its inspiration.

In a now removed Q&A video Street Fighter V composer Daniel Lindholm gave his conjecture about characters we’ll see in the upcoming Street Fighter 6. There was one where he was certain who wouldn’t be showing up in the next game or even other future installments: Fei Long.

For those don’t know, Fei Long is a character that has appeared in the games since Street Fighter 2, though his last playable appearance was Street Fighter IV, released in 2010. Fei Long does make an appearance in Street Fighter V.

However, his cameo may be the last time the character appears in the franchise if Lindholm’s word is to be taken.

He claims that Fei Long may not appear due to how the Bruce Lee family would want the famed martial artist and actor to be depicted. As Fei Long is a tribute and based off of Bruce Lee as a martial artist and actor from Hong Kong. His comments on the matter are below:

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 honorable.

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

Supposedly this change in attitude from the family has to do with backlash from Bruce Lee’s depiction in the 2019 film Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. Capcom was reached out to for comment on the news (via VG247), to which a spokesperson said “We do not comment on rumor and/or speculation.”

However, this news doesn’t end here now that Bruce Lee’s family themselves have responded to the statements made by Lindholm.

They say on Twitter that they are unsure of who the ‘close friends’ he is referring to in terms of the family, but that his statements are completely false as well. It is noted that Lindholm has mentioned his words were “hypothetical thinking” on the subject.

This is an interesting turn of events for the character’s fate in terms of the future of the franchise. While it may seem the Lee family would be fine with the continuing existence of tribute in game, there is still no guarantee. Not to mention that as of right now the character is still not confirmed to be in the game, whether playable or not.

What do you think of this story? Do you have any opinions on how depictions and tributes of Bruce Lee should be done? Sound off in the comments below