Resident Evil taps the director of Barbarians and Weapons for its next big-screen adaptation

Zach Cregger, known for his role as director behind the horror films Barbarian and Weapons, has now been tapped to spearhead the next big-screen adaptation for Capcom’s Resident Evil series.

Announced earlier this year, Cregger’s untitled Resident Evil project is scheduled for a September 18, 2026, release, promising to be a fresh reboot focusing on atmospheric tension and thrills over the series’ prior action-packed adaptations.

What sets Cregger apart from the crowd is that he’s in touch with the Resident Evil community. In an interview with Double Toasted, he said:

“ I’ve played, I don’t know how many thousands and thousands of hours of Resident Evil, I just feel like I know how that pacing can go, and it’s inherently cinematic, and I feel like there’s a great movie that can live inside of this world and inside that sort of pacing.”

Cregger mentioned that he’s been a long-time fan of the series and has played dozens of mainline entries, including Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes, along with the more action-oriented Resident Evil 4. Furthermore, Cregger stated that he’s never seen any of the Resident Evil movies.

In the interview, he further hinted at the timeline of the movie, stating:

“I’m a huge fan of the games. It probably lives more in the world of 2 and 3, but I’d say it adheres more to the tone of 4. But you know, the thing about the games is that the game franchise itself is incredibly malleable. 2 and 3 take place in Raccoon City, and then 4 takes place in Spain, and it feels like it’s in the past even though it’s not.

And 7 is like a Texas Chainsaw kind of thing. And then 8 is like some ancient European village and definitely in the past.”

Cregger believes his take on the Resident Evil franchise is a bit flexible, pretty much in line with the way the game’s settings have changed with each installment. Cregger commented:

“So, the games don’t even have some sort of set lore. It’s not rigid. And so I don’t think I’m taking any more liberties with this than the game franchise does at all. So I’m coloring the lines.”

The pressure is on for Cregger as he explores the lore of Resident Evil in hopes of redefining the series for new and veteran fans of the franchise, a reputation that has been considered tainted by some fans due to earlier live-action adaptations’ perceived missteps.