Resident Evil Reboot: Barbarian Director Takes Helm

Zach Cregger, acclaimed director of the horror film Barbarian and a member of the comedy troupe The Whitest Kids U Know, is helming a Resident Evil reboot. The Hollywood Reporter reports a fierce bidding war is underway for distribution rights, with Netflix and Warner Bros. among the four studios vying for the project. Cregger will write and direct this new take on the iconic Capcom survival horror franchise.

Cregger’s 2022 film, Barbarian, about a woman who discovers a terrifying secret in her rental house, solidified his horror credentials. He’s already completed his next film, Weapons, which reportedly has received highly positive audience test screenings. [Read our Barbarian review here.]

This marks the second attempt at rebooting the Resident Evil film franchise. Paul W.S. Anderson’s six-film series, starring Milla Jovovich, grossed over $1.2 billion worldwide, despite significant deviations from the games. The 2021 film, Welcome to Raccoon City, directed by Johannes Roberts, aimed for greater game fidelity but fell short of critical acclaim.

Constantin Film, which produced the Anderson films and Welcome to Raccoon City, will again produce the upcoming reboot, this time in collaboration with PlayStation Productions. Launched in 2019, PlayStation Productions adapts Sony’s game properties for film and television, with past successes including Uncharted (starring Tom Holland), Grand Turismo, the The Last of Us TV series, and Twisted Metal.

Future PlayStation Productions projects include films based on Until Dawn, Days Gone, Ghost of Tsushima, Gravity Rush, Helldivers, and Horizon Zero Dawn, along with an Uncharted sequel. A God of War TV show and a recently announced Ghost of Tsushima anime series are also in development.