Zach Cregger‘s Resident Evil reboot recently had a test screening, and the reactions are strongly positive, which means the movie is already working well for audiences. It’s described as “lean, mean, and confident,” showing clear and strong direction, and its “all gas, no brakes” pacing suggests nonstop action and intensity from start to finish.
According to reports, Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil is rumored to have “practically nothing to do with the games.” The film is described as a horror version of Mad Max: Fury Road, with almost zero world-building. It features strong visual framing, with practical effects doing most of the work.
As reported from early feedback (via World of Reel), “Early word is that Cregger hasn’t just made another video game adaptation — he’s delivered something lean, mean, and very confident. The runtime is 90 minutes, and it’s apparently all gas, no brakes. The film is said to be almost entirely built around tension. One attendee I spoke to called it a horror version of ‘Fury Road.’”
“The scope is also small and contained—rather than a sprawling mythology, Cregger keeps the cast tight and the focus narrow. There’s almost zero world-building. Early reactions say it’s far more cinematic than previous Resident Evil movies, with strong visual framing and practical effects doing most of the work.
Cregger knows fans will “crucify” him if his Resident Evil movie changes too much from the games. He previously described the reboot as a “love letter” to the franchise.
SYNOPSIS: Bryan (Austin Abrams), a laid-back organ courier, is sent on a late-night delivery to Raccoon City General Hospital. En route through a snowy mountain road, he accidentally hits a strange woman with his car. She survives — but something is very wrong. As he tries to help, Bryan stumbles into a full-blown outbreak involving horrifying tentacle-based mutations and bio-engineered monstrosities.
The cast includes Abrams as Bryan, a medical courier, alongside Paul Walter Hauser, Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Johnno Wilson.
Directed by Cregger, who co-wrote the screenplay with Shay Hatten, the film serves as the second reboot of the Resident Evil film series. It is the eighth installment overall in the franchise, which is based on the video game series by Capcom.
The film is produced by Columbia Pictures and PlayStation Productions, in association with Constantin Film and Vertigo Entertainment.
Resident Evil will hit theaters on September 18, 2026, by Sony Pictures Releasing.
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