A few days before the release of the highly anticipated new video game Resident Evil 9: Requiem, we have some interesting previews of the next film in the movie saga based on the beloved horror video game, namely Zach Cregger‘s Resident Evil, which will be released in theaters on September 18, 2026.
We already know that Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil will be an original work set in the timeline of the video game saga and therefore canonical with the main events of the franchise, but at the same time it will not include famous characters from the series nor adapt a particular episode: it will be a new story with new characters, and now we learn that the director of Barbarian and Weapons has been given carte blanche for his next film.
Constantin Films, known for creating several Resident Evil live-action films and TV series, is back on board for this new version directed by Zach Cregger, and CEO Oliver Berben has confirmed that the production company’s desire was precisely to see the director bring his personal touch to the film franchise. To that end, as mentioned, Cregger has been given “carte blanche to do whatever he wants with that intellectual property,” Berben told Deadline.
“With Resident Evil, we’ve been on an incredible journey with one of the most successful international intellectual properties of recent years, grossing over a billion dollars at the box office, and now we’re creating something new, not only to launch a new narrative idea but also to allow a new generation to take ownership of the intellectual property and create something different, something never seen before.”
These statements are in line with what Zach Cregger had already anticipated to fans eagerly awaiting the new film: earlier this year, the director described his feature film as a “comical” and ‘crazy’ origin story, promising, “It’s a completely original story,” Zach Cregger told EW. “When you watch it, you’ll think, ‘This is very Zach.’ It’s just set in the world of Resident Evil. I don’t think fans of the games will be disappointed.”
It should also be noted that Zach Cregger, an avid fan of the Resident Evil games, has admitted that he has never seen a Resident Evil movie, so there is no danger that his interpretation on screen will be influenced by the previous live-action titles in the saga, which have a very divisive reputation among Resident Evil fans and horror movie enthusiasts in general.
The Resident Evil movie will star Austin Abrams, Paul Walter Hauser, and Zach Cherry, and will be released in theaters on September 18.
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