Summary
Zach Cregger has made a name for himself in the horror movie genre, and all eyes are on his upcomingResident Evilreboot. The filmmaker has recently shared what audiences can expect from his movie and how it compares to the beloved video game franchise.
A few years after the game first came out in 1996,Paul W.S. Anderson wrote and directed the first film in the franchise, which was released in 2002. Six more movies followed, includingthe 2021 reboot,Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City.Netflix also released a TV series in 2022, which disappointed fans and didn’t last longer than one season. Cregger’s reboot was announced in January 2025 and since then,fans have been curious about what the tone will be like. Although he has starred on sitcoms such asWreckedandGuys with Kids, the filmmakerbroke out withBarbarian, his unique and creative take on the home invasion thriller that was one of the most impressive 2022 horror movies. After producing the creepy robot movieCompanion,hewrote and directedWeapons,a story of children who disappear that stars Julia Garner and Josh Brolin. Now, as Cregger’sResident Evilreboot inches closer to its release date, audiences want to hear more.
Zach Cregger Talks About His Resident Evil Movie And What Fans Can Expect
In an interview withSFX Magazine(viaBloody Disgusting),Zach Cregger explained that hisResident Evilmovie won’t be exactly like the games. He said he loves the franchiseand hasplayedResident Evil 4countless times. He said:
“I’m definitely not trying to be completely obedient to the lore of the games. I’m trying to tell a story that just feels authentic to the experience you get when you play the games.”
The filmmaker continued that given the franchise’s huge fanbase, he is aware that people will have opinions about his adaptation, and he knows that they’ll share them on the Internet. He said:
“So all I want to do is just make a really good movie and tell a story that’s compelling. I know that I’m gonna be happy with the movie, and hopefully other people will, too. I will also say, I’ve never seen a movie like it.”
Several fans reacted to Cregger’s words on Reddit andwhile some shared their excitement for Cregger’s movie, others aren’t so sure that straying far from the games is a good idea. Reboots can either tell the same exact story or introduce new elements, and it sounds like the filmmaker decided on the latter approach. The first through the sixthResident Evilmovie tell the story of Alice (Milla Jovovich), a new character.Several characters appear in the movies but aren’t in the games, and it will be interesting to see how Cregger approaches this. Whilethe actress said she could be interested in coming back to the franchise, she isn’t in the upcoming film.
Although the games are beloved, theResident Evilfilm franchise wasn’t as well-received, and many have low Rotten Tomatoes ratings. The first film has 36% and the most recent one,Welcome toRaccoon City, only has 30%. Since Cregger’sBarbarianwas a dark, stylish, and compelling horror movie, many hope that his creative takes on the horror genre will make for a great adaptation.
Cregger’sResident Evilwill arrive in theaters on September 18th, 2026. At this time, the cast is unknown, although there are reports that Austin Abrams will play the main role. Cregger co-wrote the screenplay with Shay Hatten, who wrote several movies in the John Wick franchise including 2019’sJohn Wick: Chapter 3 - Paranbellum,John Wick: Chapter 4, andBallerina, which was released in June 2025.
