Ahead of the launch of Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil film on 18 September, the filmmaker has come forward to address some fan concerns that his movie won’t be a direct adaptation of the games, saying that although he understands their frustrations, he hopes that they will appreciate his original take on the franchise for its own merits.
Speaking to IGN during an interview, Cregger was asked about his feelings on fans questioning why his movie would not feature fan-favourite game franchise characters like Leon Kennedy and Ada Wong, to which he admitted that he was “naive” for thinking that his original approach to the adaptation would be universally well-received by fans.
“I think I was naive,” he said. “I thought fans of these games, like me, would be thrilled that somebody was coming along and turning Resident Evil into a survival horror movie… I’m sorry that’s not the story I’m bringing. I get it, I understand the frustration. I understand it so well because I haven’t seen the earlier movies, because they don’t look like the Resident Evil that I love, so how could I be frustrated with fans who have that same attitude?”
Still, Cregger wished that fans would approach his upcoming movie with an open mind, promising that this original take comes from a place of love and understanding of the gaming franchise, even if its characters are completely new.
“My only hope is that they’ll see the movie regardless of their scepticism or their disappointment that I’m not telling some of the stories that the games tell so well, and they will feel seen when they do watch the movie, and they will recognise all of the love for the games that are in this movie, because it is there. This is not me just telling a story and slapping Resident Evil on it so I can get a budget. This is me telling a Resident Evil story. I understand the resistance, I do, because I have it myself. It is coming from a true place of love.”
To be fair, Cregger never once said that his film would be a direct adaptation, explaining early on that the movie would not follow the game franchise’s lore completely. While the film will be set during the events of the Raccoon City outbreak seen in the games, Resident Evil will focus on an original character, a medical courier named Bryan (Austin Abrams), who gets caught up in the city’s collapse while on a delivery run.
Despite featuring an original storyline, previously released trailers already showcased multiple references to the iconic survival horror franchise, including iconic franchise items like the typewriter and Heavy Shotgun Shells, alongside sequences where the movie transitions to the first-person point of view. The movie is also set to feature its unique take on some of the franchise’s most recognisable creatures, such as the Zombie Dog, alongside introducing new horrors, promising a fresh take on the IP while still making the effort to honour its legacy.
Resident Evil will hit theatres on 18 September 2026.
Kevin is a reformed PC Master Race gamer with a penchant for franchise “duds” like Darksiders III and Dead Space 3. He has made it his life-long mission to play every single major game release – lest his wallet dies trying.
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