Once his new film “Weapons” is out later this Summer, “Barbarian” filmmaker Zach Cregger is next tackling the “Resident Evil” franchise with a new film reboot at Sony Pictures.
As previously reported, it is expected that he will do an original story set in the same universe as opposed to direct adaptation of a beloved game like the fourth or second one, or a more recent title like “Resident Evil: Village”.
Of course, he walks a path littered by failure. While the six Milla Jovovich-led action films managed to become a billion-dollar franchise from relatively modest budgets, all the films were widely panned. Recent attempts, both on film and as a Netflix series, to reboot the property were both critically derided and financial/viewership bombs.
In an interview for the new issue of SFX, Cregger says he’s a big fan of the games but is aware he’s going to get backlash for the film as it will change up the lore a bit:
“I am a gigantic Resident Evil game fan. I’ve played them all. I don’t know how many times I’ve just looped [RE4] again and again. I just love it. 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. I don’t think I’m breaking any major rules, but I also recognize that no matter what I do, people are going to come for me online.
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.”
Cregger and Shay Hatten co-wrote the script which is rurmored to follow a medical courier who finds himself caught in the middle of a viral apocalypse. Austin Abrams (“Euphoria,” “Wolfs”) is rumored to star.
The new “Resident Evil” film releases on September 18th 2026.
