Zach Cregger, the horror director behind 2022’s Barbarian, is set to helm the 8th live-action Resident Evil film, which hits theaters on September 18, 2026. In a recent chat with SFX Magazine, Cregger said his film won’t follow the established lore of the video game franchise. Instead, he wants to capture the raw experience of playing the games. As Bloody Disgusting reports, this has fans both excited and terrified, as Cregger aims to get the Resident Evil franchise back to its survival horror roots while telling a new and compelling story.
Cregger, a big fan of the Resident Evil series (he loves Resident Evil 4), said he’s not going to stick to the lore of the games. “I’m not going to follow the established lore of the games,” he said, aware of the backlash from the fan community.
“I’m going to tell a story that actually captures the experience of playing the games.” “I’m not breaking any rules; I just know people are going to hate me online.”
His goal is to make a film that connects with the emotional core and tone of the original games, especially the feeling of being in those creepy corridors with limited resources.
The film, written by Cregger and Shay Hatten (John Wick: Chapter 4), is a reboot that wants to get back to the survival horror roots of the original Resident Evil series and steer clear of the action heavy approach of Paul W. S. Anderson. Anderson’s six film franchise from 2002 to 2017 and the varied response to the 2021 release of Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City is a big chapter in the video game adaptation book.
Speculation is that the story will follow a courier going through a viral apocalypse in a isolated hospital and that’s a premise that’s far from the Spencer Mansion or Raccoon City Police Department we’re used to. Austin Abrams (Euphoria) is in talks to star in Cregger’s new horror movie Weapons which is set to release on August 8, 2025. Mikey Madison (Anora) is also rumored to be in line for the female lead.
Fans are reacting on social media (Reddit) and opinions are divided. Many are praising Cregger’s horror skills, pointing out that Barbarian was a fresh take and he can do it again. Some are worried, pointing out that previous Resident Evil movies made over $1.2 billion at the global box office but strayed from the source material. Many fans were disappointed when beloved characters like Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield were reimagined. Cregger says he might introduce new characters which would allow him to sidestep those problems.
But fans are still cautious given the franchise’s checkered past.Filming starts this summer in Prague and Cregger’s Resident Evil is shaping up to be a wild ride with Constantin Film and PlayStation Productions on board. It’s going to be horror and suspenseful and it’s going to be the Resident Evil we know. Or not. We’ll see if it pleases the purists or blows our minds. But Cregger is passionate and knows horror so we might be in for something new and interesting.
Source: Bloody Disgusting
