Resident Evil Director Zach Cregger Thinks Fans Might ‘Crucify’ Him for Movie

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Zach Cregger, known for creating unsettling experiences like in his film Barbarian, is taking on a new challenge. He’s directing a reboot of the Resident Evil video game series, and he anticipates a strong reaction from longtime fans. Cregger has already discussed why he believes Resident Evil fans will have such passionate opinions about his take on the franchise.

Zach Cregger believes Resident Evil fans might ‘crucify’ him if he deviates from source material

Zach Cregger, who is directing the new Resident Evil movie coming out in 2026, admits he’s worried about upsetting fans if he changes too much from the original game. He told the New York Times he gets anxious whenever he sees a movie or show based on a game he enjoys. Cregger understands he can’t please everyone, especially with a popular franchise like Resident Evil, and anticipates some criticism.

Let me tell you about this new take on Resident Evil. Instead of rehashing the same old story with Leon and Chris, the filmmakers have wisely chosen to go in a completely fresh direction. We’re introduced to a brand new character, Brian – played by Austin Abrams – who’s just a regular guy, a medical courier, stuck in a hospital in Raccoon City right when everything goes sideways in 1998. Director Cregger smartly points out that messing with the established backstories of beloved characters like Leon and Chris is a surefire way to upset the fanbase, so this feels like a safe, yet intriguing, pivot. The cast also includes Paul Walter Hauser, Kali Reis, and Zach Cherry, and we can expect to see it in theaters on September 18, 2026.

The comments from Cregger follow a recent trend in Hollywood: a strong push to adapt video games into movies. Films like Minecraft ($961 million worldwide) and The Super Mario Bros. Movie ($1.36 billion) have proven incredibly successful, leading Derek Douglas of Creative Artists Agency to observe that Hollywood hasn’t discovered games – rather, games have become more commercially significant than the film industry itself.

Hollywood is increasingly turning to popular video games for movie ideas. Recent hits like the Super Mario Bros. film, along with the success of Five Nights at Freddy’s, which earned nearly $300 million, have encouraged studios to develop adaptations of major gaming franchises such as Call of Duty and The Legend of Zelda. Several other video game-based movies are currently in the works.

The Resident Evil series began in 1996, created by Shinji Mikami and Tokuro Fujiwara. The latest game, Resident Evil Requiem, came out on February 27, 2026, and was a critical success. Now, Cregger’s movie hopes to deliver the same thrilling suspense as the games, but with a brand new story.

Originally reported by Anubhav Chaudhry on ComingSoon.net.

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2026-04-02 07:07