Director Zach Cregger Says His Upcoming 'Resident Evil' Movie Will Not Be "Completely Obedient To The Lore Of The Games"

Zach Cregger, the director of Barbarian, shared that his upcoming Resident Evil movie will not be “completely obedient to the lore of the games.”

It was announced in March that Cregger would direct a new Resident Evil movie at Sony. Not only was the plan for him to direct, but he’s writing the film alongside Shay Hatten, who wrote John Wick: Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 as well as Ballerina.

At the time he said, “I’ve been a rabid fan of these games for decades, and to be able to bring this amazing title to life is a true honor.”

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Now, speaking with SFX Magazine via Games Radar, Cregger said, “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.”

As for what his plan for the film is, he said, “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.”

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Cregger had previously teased the film at CinemaCon with Deadline reporting he described it as “unlike any of the previous films” and a “wild ride.”

He also shared one moment that will be in the film, “There’s a moment that comes in every moment of every Resident Evil game where you find yourself standing in the mouth of a dark passageway. One shot in the gun is left. You know that something horrible is waiting for you in that darkness, that awful moment where you have to will yourself. That’s something that every Resident Evil game has perfected and has kept me and millions of other players returning to the series for decades.”

“My movie will be built in the spirit of those games and follows one central protagonist from point A to point B, as they descend deeper into hell,” he added.

The film is expected to star Austin Abrams. The film is scheduled to arrive in theaters on September 18, 2026.

What do you make of Cregger’s comments?

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