Zach Cregger is one of the biggest names in horror right now thanks to the massive success of Barbarian. The hype for his next movie Weapons is very real. Following that, he's set to direct a new Resident Evil movie that will supposedly be more faithful to the games, something fans have been begging to see happen for decades now.
But according to Cregger's most recent comments to SFX Magazine (per Bloody Disgusting), his take on the zombie franchise might not be as game-accurate as fans were hoping. The filmmaker clarified that he “won’t be completely obedient to the lore of the games.” Honestly, that's nothing new. As a fan of the games myself, I happen to have enjoyed several Resident Evil adaptations, including the divisive Netflix series, but I imagine Cregger's comments might ruffle the feathers of some game purists.
To his credit, Cregger seems aware of that. He adds that while he isn't "breaking any major rules," he knows that "no matter what I do, people are going to come for me online." At least he's prepared!
Personally, I'm not worried. Cregger claims to be a big fan of the games, having played all of them. He seems particularly partial to Resident Evil 4, which he says he "looped again and again." For him, telling a genuinely good story that feels authentic to the games is more important than being beholden to the mythology.
And who can blame him? The Resident Evil lore is famously convoluted. Just the fact that he's actually played all the games and speaks openly about his passion for the series gives me confidence in his interpretation.
It's not like Resident Evil adaptations have ever stuck to canon before
It is a little funny that Cregger has openly revealed he won't be stringent about the lore, because that's a pattern for the long-running Resident Evil franchise. The original film series, beginning with Paul W.S. Anderon's 2002 movie, mostly abandoned the game canon in favor of focusing on original characters like Milla Jovovich's Alice. The 2021 reboot Welcome to Raccoon City from writer/director Johannes Roberts tried being more faithful to the source material, but it resulted in a flat-out bad film, leading some critics to question whether or not it's even possible to make a good and faithful adaptation.
In other words, Cregger is simply continuing a long-standing tradition, attempting to balance the complicated game lore with good storytelling and enough fan service to keep the diehards on board.
I'm curious to see how Cregger's vision ultimately pans out. Could he reinvent the franchise on-screen? Or will this just cause more fan backlash? He's aiming high, teasing that he's "never seen a movie like it," and that unlike Barbarian and Weapons, this film "doesn't jump around...but it is still unto itself." Whatever that means.
Resident Evil is set to hit theaters on September 18, 2026.
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