Is the New Resident Evil Movie a Recipe for Disaster?

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It’s indisputable that the Resident Evil series is a significant force in the video game industry. Despite encountering some setbacks throughout its history, many of its main entries, including Resident Evil 2 and 4, have garnered extensive praise from critics. Since its inception, the Resident Evil franchise has sparked numerous other games, ranging from Gears of War to The Last of Us. Even today, the series continues to thrive, with 2021’s Resident Evil Village and the upcoming 2023 Resident Evil 4 Remake being hailed as standout games in their release years.

Despite the Resident Evil brand not being as renowned as some other movie franchises within the film industry, Capcom’s long-running series has been translated into numerous live-action films and animated movies. Most of these adaptations have garnered less than favorable reviews, to put it mildly. In 2022, a Resident Evil TV show was produced by Netflix, but it was abruptly canceled only a few months after its release. Despite various missteps in the past, a new Resident Evil feature film is currently in production. Although this project sounds somewhat promising, some companies involved might raise concerns among fans.

Sony and Constantin Film Being Involved With the New Resident Evil Movie Could Be Cause for Worry

Zach Cregger is Directing a New Resident Evil Movie That’s Scheduled to Release in 2026

Just this week, Capcom declared that a fresh Resident Evil movie is under early development and slated for release on September 18, 2026. As of now, this film lacks a title but is set to revamp the Resident Evil film series, aiming to reconnect with the terrifying origins of the initial Resident Evil video games. The director for this project is Zach Cregger, known for his work on the 2022 horror movie Barbarian and the 2025 sci-fi dark comedy Companion. Cregger collaborated with Shay Hatten, a rising screenwriter who has contributed to scripts like John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, John Wick: Chapter 4, and Army of the Dead, in writing the film’s script.

Zach Cregger’s latest films have garnered favorable comments from critics, indicating a promising outlook for his upcoming “Resident Evil” movie. However, there’s one potential issue with this film: Sony and Constantin Film are collaborating on it. As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Sony emerged victorious in a bidding war against Warner Bros. and Netflix, who were also interested in the film rights. The problem lies in the fact that both Sony and Constantin Film are working on this new production, which could be concerning given that they were responsible for the last seven live-action “Resident Evil” movies, all of which have been met with critical disapproval.

Although it isn’t connected to a Resident Evil intellectual property owned by Sony, the production of Zach Cregger’s latest film is being jointly handled by PlayStation Productions – a subsidiary of Sony Interactive Entertainment.

Sony’s Resident Evil Movies Have Been Commercially Successful, But Have Flopped Critically

The “Resident Evil” film series, primarily helmed by Paul W.S. Anderson with frequent appearances of his spouse Milla Jovovich, shares little resemblance to the video games they originated from. Despite criticisms for their quality and deviation from the original content, these movies have proven to be commercial successes. In fact, accumulating over $1.2 billion globally, this film franchise is now recognized as the highest-grossing zombie series ever made. Given its financial triumph, it’s not surprising that Sony and Constantin Film showed enthusiasm for producing another “Resident Evil” movie, regardless of fan reactions.

While Sony and Constantin Film’s involvement in Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil film doesn’t automatically make it a poor movie, given their history with the Resident Evil series, it’s worth considering the quality of the films they’ve produced in the past. If a film is likely to be profitable at the box office, these companies seem willing to invest, which raises some questions about this upcoming Resident Evil movie. Despite the director having a promising background, there’s a chance it could follow the pattern of low-quality movies that have characterized much of the Resident Evil franchise so far.

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2025-03-10 20:37