Resident Evil Film Trailer: Director Zach Cregger’s Vision

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The first trailer for the new Resident Evil movie was released on Thursday, and fans seem hopeful. Director Zach Cregger, known for his work on the horror films Barbarian and last year’s Academy Award-winning Weapons, is bringing his unique style to the world of Raccoon City, and the result appears genuinely scary.

We’ve seen this story before – a lot. Since 2002, there have been seven Resident Evil movies, and each one has tried – and failed – to truly capture the spirit of the iconic video game series. But this time, there’s reason to believe things could be different.

What We Know About the Film

The latest Resident Evil movie centers around Bryan, played by Austin Abrams (from Euphoria and Weapons), a delivery driver caught in the middle of a terrifying night in Raccoon City. He’s an ordinary person, not a hero, and must find a way to survive. Unlike previous adaptations, this film won’t feature familiar characters like Leon Kennedy or Jill Valentine. Director Cregger is crafting a new story inspired by the events of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3, filmed in Prague and scheduled to release on September 18, 2026.

Director Zach Cregger is currently one of the biggest names in horror. His film Weapons was a huge financial success, earning over $270 million with a budget of just $38 million and even winning an Academy Award. Perhaps even more importantly, he’s a longtime fan of Resident Evil and personally co-wrote the screenplay for the upcoming adaptation. He’s drawing heavily from the games, especially their focus on managing limited resources and creating a tense survival experience, aiming to capture the overall feeling of playing them. When a director prioritizes the emotional experience of a video game over a strict plot retelling, it’s generally a promising sign.

Cregger explained to Polygon that he aimed to create a story set within the world of Resident Evil, happening at the same time as the events of Resident Evil 2. He wanted it to be a separate, parallel story that captured the atmosphere and tempo of the games themselves.

The film boasts a strong supporting cast featuring Paul Walter Hauser (known for roles in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Black Bird, and I, Tonya), Zach Cherry (Severance, Silicon Valley), and Kali Reis (True Detective Season 4). Notably, the actors aren’t typical action movie stars, and this seems to be a deliberate choice.

Why History Demands Caution

Past attempts to adapt Resident Evil have consistently missed the mark because they focused too much on action and not enough on what truly makes the games compelling: the feeling of isolation, vulnerability, and limited resources. The movies starring Milla Jovovich moved further and further away from the source material with each installment. Even the 2021 film, Welcome to Raccoon City, which aimed for a more faithful adaptation, didn’t succeed, and the recent Netflix series was canceled after just one season.

The Verdict

One of the most effective choices in this film is making the main character, Bryan, an everyday person. He’s just a delivery driver, not a superhero. This is similar to what made the Resident Evil 2 Remake (2019) so impactful: Leon and Claire weren’t experienced soldiers, but new recruits thrown into a terrifying situation. The Resident Evil games are at their best when you feel completely helpless, and placing an ordinary person in a city like Raccoon City immediately creates that feeling.

PlayStation Productions’ involvement is a major plus. Sony now has a successful formula for adapting games into TV shows, as proven by The Last of Us on HBO. With Zach Cregger directing and Austin Abrams as the lead, the upcoming Resident Evil series looks promising. The trailer is genuinely scary, and focusing on a relatable, street-level story during the Raccoon City outbreak is a brilliant creative decision – the best any Resident Evil movie or show has ever made.

Resident Evil hits theaters September 18, 2026. The trailer is out now.

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2026-04-30 21:36