Resident Evil has been reaching new heights in popularity thanks to Resident Evil Requiem’s massive success just in time for its 30th anniversary, but it all could end badly (again) if the next live-action movie effort is a disappointment.
There’s a good reason to be more optimistic this time around: Zach Cregger, the mind behind the highly celebrated Barbarian and Weapons, is directing and has co-written the script. With a masterful control over the horror-comedy balance, surely this up-and-coming filmmaker will finally crack the code, right? Well, some fans still aren’t sure, especially after the (supposed) leak of a divisive script.
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Cregger recently talked to The New York Times for an article on how Hollywood is approaching video game adaptations on the big and small screen following massive hits like The Last of Us, Fallout, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie. Stinkers and big commercial flops are still a thing, and it appears movie studios are gradually figuring out staying faithful to the source material (or at least the tone and universe) are key to striking gold.
The director was quick to point out fans will “crucify” him if his attempt (which arrives after 2022’s awful Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City) also disappoints. Trying to calm everyone down, he admits that, as a gamer himself, he’s also constantly in fear of other adaptations going sideways. “Don’t ruin this for me” is his usual reply whenever a new take on a game he loves is announced.
In the past, Cregger (and even some of the actors involved) has said his movie won’t stick too close to the events of the games and will instead do its own thing within the franchise’s confines. This time, he elaborated a bit more on the energy he’s going for without revealing what’s actually happening: “I love the idea of being pitted against a world that is hellbent on annihilating you… It just feels fun and I haven’t seen a movie that offers that sort of experience.” Will he find the sweet spot and deliver a unique rollercoaster ride without being Resident Evil in title only? It won’t be long until we find out.
Resident Evil is currently set to infect theaters on 18th September, 2026. Austin Abrams (Weapons), Kali Reis (True Detective: Night Country), and Paul Walter Houser (The Fantastic Four: First Steps), among others, star in it.
