Zach Cregger Teases Brutal RESIDENT EVIL Movie, Says It Will Be "True to the Spirit of the Games" as First Footage Drops at CinemaCon
The first look of Resident Evil has finall been unleashed, though only for those lucky enough to be attending CinemaCon, like mysel, and what we saw paints a pretty intense picture of what director Zach Cregger is cooking up, and it looks like fans of the long-running survival horror franchise is actually going to get something that feels like the games this time around.
The footage that we saw centers on a character played by Austin Abrams, who finds himself stepping into what looks like an abandoned house just to use a phone.
That simple setup quickly spirals into absolute chaos. As he nervously admits, "I'm in like a seriously f*cked up situation right now," the footage cuts to flashes of what he’s dealing with… zombies, monsters, wild looking creature, and lots of them. It’s also filled with awesomely creepy visuals.
It’s a stripped-down story, and that seems to be exactly the point. Cregger, who previously helmed the horror films Barbarian and Weapons, made it clear that his take on Resident Evil is rooted in his own experience as a fan.
"Over the last couple of decades, I have played a shitload of Resident Evil," he said. "I have put an embarrassing amount of hours into these games. I love the atmosphere, love the pacing, I love the resource management, I love the dread. It's just so naturally cinematic."
That influence is shaping how the story unfolds. Instead of juggling timelines or multiple perspectives, Cregger is keeping things focused and grounded.
"Unlike my last two films, there's not gonna be any narrative acrobatics," he explained, adding, "you are gonna be locked in with one protagonist, on a foot journey from point A to point B."
That approach feels very in line with the games themselves, especially the earlier entries where every dark hallway, every bullet fired, and every decision mattered. It’s less about spectacle and more about survival, tension, and that creeping feeling that something is always just around the corner.
Cregger has also talked in the past about what excites him most about adapting the franchise. "I love the idea of being pitted against a world that is hellbent on annihilating you," he said. "It just feels fun and I haven't seen a movie that offers that sort of experience."
That said, he’s fully aware that stepping into Resident Evil territory comes with expectations. He even joked that fans might "crucify" him if he strays too far from established lore. Whether that means major changes or just a fresh perspective isn’t clear yet, but it does suggest he’s not playing it completely safe.
Between the grounded storytelling, the focus on a single character, and a clear love for what made the games work, this version of Resident Evil could end up feeling very different from past adaptations.
After watching the footage, I couldn’t be more excited for this movie! It’s gonna be really freakin’ good!
We won’t have to wait too long to find out. The film is set to hit theaters on September 18, and if this first footage is any indication, it might finally deliver that tense, dread-soaked experience we’ve been hoping to see on the big screen.