Resident Evil Director Returns: First Look at New Saga That’s Shocked Fans for 30 Years!

Starting his career in comedy with “Miss March,” Zach Cregger has since become a significant name in American horror cinema. Thanks to “Barbarian” and especially “Vanished,” a surprise hit of summer 2025 (earning $270 million worldwide and attracting over a million viewers in France), which recently earned Amy Madigan an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.

Fans won’t have to wait long to see if Cregger can score a hat trick, as his next major release, a new film adaptation of the iconic video game series “Resident Evil,” hits theaters on September 16. The franchise, first launched in 1996, had previously been adapted by Paul W.S. Anderson and Johannes Roberts.

Unlike his predecessors, Cregger has repeatedly stated that he does not plan to adapt a specific title or feature fan-favorite characters, but rather to create a film imbued with the essence of Resident Evil. This is evident from the start of the teaser, with a shot of a door opening to an empty house—a nod to the visual gimmick (and loading time filler) from the early games, the third-person filming style, and a scene where the main character, played by Austin Abrams (also in “Vanished”), runs out of bullets for his shotgun, a familiar dread for fans of the franchise.

From what is known so far, this installment of Resident Evil will complement the existing saga, with its story unfolding on the fringes of the known narratives. Set in the infamous Raccoon City, a courier delivering a package to a hospital finds himself at the heart of an outbreak, facing creatures born from monstrous experiments. It appears he may have encountered some of these creatures before the teaser begins.

Under my Umbrella (familiar tune)

The footage, while lacking some references from the series as previously mentioned, suggests that Zach Cregger aims to recreate the visceral experience of playing the game, but in his unique filmmaking style. We’re likely to see the Umbrella Corporation logo at some point, but the director seeks not just to adapt but to make a film that fits seamlessly into his narrative-rich portfolio, reminiscent of the layered stories found in Resident Evil.

For now, this teaser intrigues with its off-screen threats (save for a man reminiscent of Baron Harkonnen played by Stellan Skarsgard in “Dune”), but the tension is palpable and leaves us eager for more. With less than five months to go, there’s plenty of time to (re)play some of the iconic games from this 30-year-old franchise, which is celebrating with a new entry, Requiem, and a promising film.

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