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Fresh off a box office hit in horror film Weapons, Zach Cregger is next going to tackle Resident Evil – just don't expect it to be a beat-by-beat remake of the games.
Cregger told Inverse that the upcoming Resident Evil will be a "different story" set in the world of the horror franchise.
"Let me say this: this is not breaking the rules of the games," Cregger said. "I am the biggest worshipper of the games, so I’m telling a story that is a love letter to the games and follows the rules of the games."
Namely, that means Resident Evil will utilize a cast that will be "outside of the characters of the game" but remains "obedient to the lore." So, that sounds like no Jill Valentine, no Albert Wesker, and certainly no Leon S. Kennedy.
Cregger added, "I’m not going to tell Leon’s story, because Leon’s story is told in the games. [Fans] already have that."
If eyebrows are slightly raised at Cregger's words, a separate interview with The Ringer paints the picture of a horror director on the rise after twin successes in Barbarian and Weapons – and he's getting ready for a big swing in a series he already adores.
"I've never seen a Resident Evil movie. I played the games obsessively," Cregger said of his experience with the Capcom series.
"This is a story that comes from a healthy, creative place. This is a story I would have wanted to write whether I got Resident Evil or not… I get to play in their sandbox. I'm honored to, and I'm stoked that I get to tell a story that I actually love. I don't need to do this. I'm in a healthy enough place where I can go and do an original movie. I'm doing it because I think this movie is going to be fucking awesome."
Cregger's latest release, Weapons, reached top spot in the US domestic box office, opening with $42.5 million. The horror, starring Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, and Alden Ehrenreich, follows a mysterious incident involving a large group of children disappearing from a Pennsylvania town at 2:17 am.
Resident Evil, meanwhile, has an exciting future on consoles. Its next title, Resident Evil Requiem, was unveiled at Summer Game Fest and is slated for release on February 27, 2026. There's been plenty of speculation that Leon will turn up but, as of right now, the developers are maintaining he's a "bad match for horror."
For more, check out all the upcoming horror movies and new horror games arriving in 2025 and beyond.
