Zach Cregger Reveals His Biggest Problem With The Resident Evil Reboot

Credit: MovieStillsDB Published Nov 1, 2026, 7:42 PM EST Jennifer is a TV and Movie News Editor at ScreenRant. She started her journey in entertainment media in 2022 when she first joined Valnet at CBR before coming to ScreenRant. Jennifer loves TV, especially science fiction. She also loves late-night talk shows, due to her insomnia. Alien: Earth is definitely one of her favorite shows, and she jumps on any chance she gets to write about it. Even on her days off, she will claim an Alien Earth article if one is available. Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon are two of her favorite late-night hosts, and Conan O'Brien before he left his show. Her Alien: Earth coverage for ScreenRant is by far the work that she is most proud of so far. She was initially a finance and political editor, but her passion for pop culture convinced her to transition into entertainment journalism. During her off time, she loves to binge-watch cooking shows such as Kitchen Nightmares. Jennifer also loves spending time with her daughter and cherishes every moment of it. Sign in to your ScreenRant account Despite the critical and commercial success of Resident Evil, Zach Cregger has revealed that something about the reboot left him frustrated. Released on September 18, 2026, Resident Evil stars Austin Abrams as Bryan, a medical courier whose seemingly average delivery turns into a terrifying fight for survival. The movie received major praise from critics and casual moviegoers alike. The video game adaptation made around $400 million at the worldwide box office. However, its success hasn't prevented Cregger from having some bones to pick when it comes to his movie. The director, who previously helmed several critically acclaimed horror movies, such as Barbarian and Weapons, took a different approach when he adapted Capcom's beloved video game franchise. Instead of recreating an existing storyline or focusing on established characters, Cregger developed an original story set within the world of the games with a brand-new protagonist. During an interview on The Town podcast, Cregger discussed his experience working on a major franchise that already had a very well-established world and a strong following, as well as whether he would consider directing another adaptation. Although he didn't completely rule out returning to Resident Evil, he admitted that he felt disappointed by how much attention was devoted to comparing elements from his film with its video game counterparts. The director further elaborated, saying that so much of the discussion surrounding the movie had absolutely nothing to do with his version of the story itself. Most of it focused on whether his adaptation would satisfy the expectations of pre-existing fans of the video games, including criticisms about the lack of recognizable characters, established lore, and the changes made to the source material. He felt these arguments overshadowed the point of the movie, which was to make something different. Cregger's frustrations are understandable, and it also highlights one of the biggest challenges directors and writers face when adapting popular franchises across the board. With decades of history behind it, Resident Evil has developed iconic characters and storylines that have become synonymous with the property. As a result, fans of the source material often have very strong opinions about what should and shouldn't be in a live-action adaptation. Although Cregger's response makes it seem like he is hesitant about making another film under the franchise, it doesn't necessarily mean he has permanently closed the door on Resident Evil. The director has previously discussed having ideas for additional stories within the universe of the survival horror games. However, his latest comments imply that he is aware of the expectations and scrutiny that would come with another installment. Release Date September 18, 2026 Runtime 95 Minutes Director Zach Cregger Writers Shay Hatten, Zach Cregger Producers Asad Qizilbash, Carter Swan, Miri Yoon, Robert Kulzer, Roy Lee, Victor Hadida, Zach Cregger Cast