For director Zach Cregger, taking on Resident Evil is more than another horror project. It is the chance to step inside a world he has admired for years.
A longtime fan of the videogame franchise, Cregger is bringing his own style of suspense, chaos, and dark humor to the big screen. Following the acclaim of Barbarian and Weapons, the filmmaker now turns his attention to one of survival horror’s most recognizable names.
The games are a great standard for survival horror,” says Cregger. “I’m celebrating everything I love about them by telling a story that could exist on the edges of one of the games.
A New Story Built for Non-Stop Tension
Rather than retelling a familiar chapter from the games, the new Resident Evil introduces an original story centered on Bryan, a medical courier played by Austin Abrams.
His assignment appears simple enough: deliver a package.
Of course, nothing stays simple for long.
Bryan soon finds himself trapped in a terrifying race for survival as the night grows increasingly dangerous. Mutated creatures, infected beings, and unforgiving surroundings turn his journey into a relentless nightmare.
Cregger describes the film as a constantly moving experience that pushes its main character, and the audience, deeper into danger.
I leaned into the visceral stuff, he continues. The movie follows a person from point A to point B; it’s like a real-time journey, where we’re propelled deeper and deeper into the depths of Hell. It’s a constant, ‘Go! Go! Go!
Watch the official trailer:
Raccoon City Returns With a Fresh Perspective
The film also brings audiences back to Raccoon City, one of the most iconic settings in the Resident Evil universe.
This time, however, the goal is to make the familiar location feel unpredictable again.
Producer Roy Lee believes Cregger has found a way to honor the franchise while creating a cinematic experience that feels distinct.
Our film is a roller coaster ride of non-stop action,” says Lee, “and it’s set in the world of Raccoon City, one of the game’s most memorable locales. Zach is giving audiences something they have not experienced before in cinema.
That combination of familiarity and surprise is also central to what producer Asad Qizilbash believes makes Cregger such a strong fit for the material.
The best Resident Evil games don’t just scare you; they make you afraid of what’s coming next. That’s cinema, says Qizilbash.
He adds that Cregger has a particular talent for building tension before suddenly disrupting expectations.
Zach is brilliant at weaponizing tension, then breaking it with something shocking, strange or darkly funny. That filmmaker instinct he has, is perfect for Resident Evil: you think you know what’s going to happen, and then Zach shows you something you never expected.
An Immersive Horror Ride From Start to Finish
For longtime franchise producer Robert Kulzer, the film’s biggest strength is its commitment to keeping viewers fully immersed in Bryan’s ordeal.
Zach wanted to create a ride, an immersive experience. He wanted to take the audience by the hand in minute one, take them on this journey, and not let them go till minute 90. Zach delivered all that and more.
Producer Victor Hadida, who has also been part of the Resident Evil film franchise for decades, was equally impressed by Cregger’s approach.
Hadida says he was “blown away by Zach’s take,” adding that the film is designed to have audiences “jumping and cheering and going out of their minds.”
A Fresh Nightmare Begins September 16
With an original story, a relentless pace, and a return to the dangerous streets of Raccoon City, Resident Evil sets out to deliver a new kind of survival-horror experience for both longtime fans and newcomers.
At the center of it all is one man, one delivery, and one increasingly impossible night.
Resident Evil opens in Philippine cinemas, including IMAX, on September 16. Distributed locally by Columbia Pictures PH.
Tickets are available now.
