A Franchise With a Glorious Past and Deep Scars

For nearly two decades, the Resident Evil films were defined by the six feature films directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, starring Milla Jovovich in the lead role of Alice — films that collectively grossed over $1 billion worldwide.

Then came the blow. The 2021 reboot, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, grossed just $42 million worldwide  — a resounding failure that brought the franchise to its knees and raised serious questions about its future on the big screen.

But Sony didn't give up.

The Man Who Won the Bidding War

In January 2025, it was announced that Zach Cregger would co-write and direct a new Resident Evil film, intended to restart the cinematic franchise from scratch. 

The announcement immediately triggered a frenzy in Hollywood. Cregger's involvement sparked a full-blown bidding war between studios, ultimately won by Sony Pictures, the studio that also distributed all seven previous films. 

Who is Cregger? The director who delivered Barbarian — one of the most original and terrifying horror films in recent years — and Weapons in 2025. He stated about the new film: "It's an original script. It's a weird story. I wrote it and I love it. It has nothing to do with the other Resident Evil movies. If I do my job, it'll feel fresh, hard, and strange." 

A Brand New Story

The film follows a hapless courier, tasked with delivering a package to a remote hospital, who finds himself caught in the middle of an outbreak and must fight through hordes of mutant creatures to survive. 

Unlike the previous films — which followed an ensemble of characters — this reboot focuses primarily on the journey of a single protagonist through Raccoon City. 

And that's a deliberate choice. Cregger explained why he didn't include iconic characters from the games: "I'm not going to steal Leon's character and put him in an original story. I will not tell Leon's story, because that story is told in the games." 

The Cast

Austin Abrams plays Bryan, a medical courier, joined by Paul Walter Hauser — known from The Fantastic Four: First Steps — as Carl. 

The cast is rounded out by Emmy-nominated actors Zach Cherry and Kali Reis, alongside Johnno Wilson. 

Faithful to the Games, Not the Films

Cregger revealed something surprising: he has not seen any of the previous Resident Evil films, and the new film will be more closely tied to the video game series, particularly Resident Evil 2 (1998), Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999), and Resident Evil 4. 

"If there are people who are die-hard fans of the film franchise, they're probably not ready for what I'm going to do. But I think the game fans are going to be excited,"  the director stated.

Production and Release

Filming began in Prague on October 10, 2025, with Dariusz Wolski as director of photography, and by February 2026 the film was already in the editing phase. 

Resident Evil is scheduled to arrive in cinemas and IMAX on September 18, 2026, distributed by Columbia Pictures. 

A Third Chance For Raccoon City

Resident Evil (2026) is not just another reboot — it's a complete reset of vision, tone, and approach. With a director who understands horror at a visceral level, an original story that respects the DNA of the games, and a fresh cast, the franchise finally seems ready to deliver what fans have been asking for years: real fear, authentic atmosphere, and respect for the source material.

On September 18, 2026, the doors of Raccoon City open once again. This time, it promises to be truly terrifying.