Zach Cregger Resident Evil Review
I played the original Resident Evil back in 1996 with my brothers Adam and Jordan. Jordan was terrified of spiders, so any game with them in it, he'd hand over the controller and make us clear them out for him. That's Resident Evil for me, not just a franchise I've followed, but one tangled up with my own history. I've played through every title and seen every movie since.
Zach Cregger Resident Evil
Zach Cregger's Resident Evil is a wild swing and it totally lands. You don't need Leon, Jill, or any of the franchise's usual faces to make Raccoon City terrifying again, and this movie proves it. By dropping in a brand-new main character and setting the outbreak in a modern-day timeline, Cregger sidesteps decades of nostalgia-chasing and gives the whole thing a genuinely fresh, unpredictable energy. You're watching a night collapse in real time with no idea who makes it out. It gave Judgement Night vibes at times, which is a huge compliment from me.
Austin Abrams Resident Evil
This is easily the most fun and effective entry the franchise has had in years. Cregger does what he did in Weapons and Barbarian. Balancing horror, suspense, and humor without letting any one of them undercut the others. The energy never lets up on the main character and it doesn't let up on you either.
If you're into horror, this is worth seeing on the big screen. I caught it at a press screening ahead of the wide release, and it's the kind of movie that plays best with a crowd. Go see it in IMAX if you can.
The story follows Bryan, a medical courier whose out-of-the-area delivery run to Raccoon City General Hospital lands him in the middle of an outbreak. It's an original story rather than a retelling of any specific game, running on a parallel timeline to Resident Evil 2, which is a smart way to honor the source material without forcing fans to sit through a plot they already know beat for beat.
Zach Cregger and Austin Abrams Resident Evil
This one is rated R for strong bloody violence, gore, and language throughout. Cregger has called it the most violent movie he's made so far, so come ready for that.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Zach Cregger's Resident Evil connected to the video games? It's an original story rather than a direct adaptation of any single game. Cregger has said it's built to run parallel to the events of Resident Evil 2, set in a modern-day timeline. Cregger’s Resident Evil Story exists inside the world of the games without retelling a story fans already know.
Is the new Resident Evil movie a reboot? Yes. This is a full reboot of the live-action film series, with an all-new cast and story, separate from the earlier Milla Jovovich films.
Who stars in Resident Evil (2026)? Austin Abrams leads as Bryan, a medical courier caught in the outbreak, alongside Paul Walter Hauser, Zach Cherry, and Kali Reis.
Is Resident Evil (2026) scary, and how gory is it? It's rated R for strong bloody violence, gore, and language. Cregger has described it as the most violent film he's directed, which tracks with his work on Barbarian.
How does it compare to Zach Cregger's other movies, Weapons and Barbarian? It carries the same DNA. Horror, suspense, and dark humor held in careful balance but with the scale and intensity turned up a level.
When does Resident Evil (2026) come out? It premieres at Fantastic Fest before opening in theaters everywhere.