Resident Evil is getting another shot at the big screen. This time, Weapons director Zach Cregger is behind the camera, and he’s promising something different: a movie that actually feels like playing the games.
The reboot hits theaters September 18, 2026. But here’s the twist – no Leon Kennedy, no Jill Valentine, no Chris Redfield. Cregger is starting fresh with new characters and an original story that captures the survival horror experience fans love.
Why This Resident Evil Movie Could Actually Work
The Resident Evil franchise has a complicated movie history. Six previous films earned over $1.2 billion worldwide, but fans and critics consistently complained they felt nothing like the games. Too much action, not enough horror. Too many explosions, not enough tension.
Cregger gets it. The Weapons director has logged thousands of hours playing Resident Evil games, and he wants his movie to capture that specific feeling: limited ammo, dark hallways, and the constant fear that something’s about to jump out.
Resident Evil games have sold over 150 million copies since 1996 because they master a simple formula: resource management plus jump scares. Players think carefully about every bullet while navigating zombie-filled environments. Previous movies turned that careful survival into mindless action.
How Cregger Plans to Fix Resident Evil Movies
Cregger admits he hasn’t watched the earlier Resident Evil movies. That might actually be an advantage. Instead of copying what came before, he’s drawing directly from Capcom’s games.
“I want to capture the game-feel,” Cregger explained in recent interviews. That means designing scenes around the same constraints that make the games memorable: scarce resources, claustrophobic spaces, and monsters that genuinely threaten the heroes.
Capcom is working closely with the production to ensure the story fits within the established universe. But rather than adapting a specific game, Cregger is creating new characters and situations that feel authentic to the world.
Who’s in the Resident Evil Reboot So Far
Austin Abrams from Euphoria and Dash & Lily is the only confirmed cast member so far. Sony is keeping other casting decisions under wraps for now.
Production starts in Prague in October 2025, giving the team almost a full year to bring Cregger’s vision to life.
When and Where to Watch
Resident Evil gets a wide theatrical release on September 18, 2026. Sony hasn’t announced streaming plans yet, but the studio typically releases films on digital platforms a few months after the theatrical run.
Watch the Trailer
No trailer is available yet. Resident Evil begins filming in October 2025, so expect the first footage sometime in early 2026.
Flix FAQs
Q: Will Leon Kennedy or Jill Valentine appear in the new movie?
A: No. Cregger confirmed he’s creating entirely new characters instead of using the series’ established heroes.
Q: Is this connected to the previous Resident Evil movies?
A: No. This is a complete reboot with no connection to the earlier film series.
Q: Where is the movie filming?
A: Prague, starting in October 2025.
Q: What’s the official release date?
A: September 18, 2026, in theaters.
Q: Will it be rated R?
A: Sony hasn’t announced the rating yet, but given the source material and Cregger’s horror background, an R rating seems likely.
The Bigger Picture
Hollywood is finally learning how to adapt video games properly. The Last of Us proved audiences want faithful adaptations that respect the source material. Five Nights at Freddy’s showed horror games can work as horror movies.
Cregger’s Resident Evil could be the franchise’s best shot at getting it right. By focusing on atmosphere over spectacle and survival over action, this reboot has the potential to deliver the movie fans have been waiting 30 years to see.
Resident Evil (2026) look to try to bolster Hollywood’s growing understanding that the best video game movies feel like the games themselves.
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