Resident Evil Trailer Is Action-Packed and Bloody (But You Can’t Watch It Yet)

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Okay, so I’m really excited about this new Resident Evil movie! Zach Cregger, the guy who directed Barbarian and Weapons – seriously good horror flicks – is at the helm. Sony picked him to reboot the franchise, which is a huge deal. What’s cool is they didn’t just retell an existing story. He and Shay Hatten (who wrote some of the John Wick movies) wrote something completely original, but they pulled a lot of inspiration from Resident Evil 2, 3, and 4. The movie follows a medical courier named Bryan, played by Austin Abrams, who has a really bad night, to say the least. Paul Walter Hauser, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Johnno Wilson are also in it, and I’ve seen some early footage – it looks fantastic! Everyone’s talking about it as one of the biggest releases of 2026, and honestly, I can see why.

Sony revealed the first trailer for the new Resident Evil movie Monday night at CinemaCon in Las Vegas, showing it only to theater owners and industry professionals attending the event. The trailer isn’t available online yet, but it’s expected to appear in the coming weeks. Journalists who saw it say the footage suggests a scary, creature-filled horror experience with the distinctive style of director Craig Cregger. Before showing the trailer, Cregger spoke to the audience, explaining he’s a huge Resident Evil fan and intentionally made the movie a straightforward story, following a single character through one terrifying night without flashbacks or changes in perspective.

What People Are Saying About the CinemaCon Resident Evil Trailer?

Initial reactions to the movie from CinemaCon have been very positive, but because the trailer was only shown to people at the event, detailed responses are currently limited to those who saw it. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the trailer opens with J.J. Abrams’ character finding a remote cabin after a car problem, then making a frantic phone call where he admits he’s in a dangerous situation and might not be able to contact the person again. Deadline confirmed this tense scene and added that the trailer also features striking visuals, including creatures and bodies falling from the sky into the snow.

Journalists who saw the preview were very positive. Erik Davis compared it to a trailer, describing a man’s journey through a bizarre and changing world while sending a message to his girlfriend. Scott Menzel called it concise and perfectly in line with Zach Cregger’s style, and believes it will be hugely popular with gamers. Cody Jandreau provided a more in-depth review, highlighting the impressive sound design and noting that Cregger successfully blended elements from the original game with his own unique vision.

The Resident Evil franchise has seen eight movie adaptations, and none have really satisfied fans of the original games. While Paul W.S. Anderson’s series with Milla Jovovich was financially successful—earning over $1.2 billion worldwide from 2002 to 2017—it strayed far from the games’ story and atmosphere, becoming a standard action series. The 2021 reboot, Welcome to Raccoon City, tried too hard to be faithful to the games and ended up failing with both critics and audiences. The newest film’s director, Cregger, is taking a different approach, focusing on the games’ unsettling mood and gameplay rather than directly adapting specific plots or characters. This gives him creative freedom, but also makes longtime fans wary. Cregger’s claim that the games’ influence will be felt throughout the film is encouraging given his reputation, but ultimately, audiences will need to see the trailer before they can truly judge.

Resident Evil is scheduled to be released in theaters on September 18, 2026.

Looking forward to Zach Cregger’s new Resident Evil movie? Share your thoughts in the comments and discuss it with other fans in the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-04-14 14:10