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A new Resident Evil movie reboot is in the works, and while this is exciting, the director has already admitted that the upcoming film won’t be sticking to the lore of the original video games. The Resident Evil franchise is incredibly popular, and while it has already been adapted to film several times, Hollywood is taking another swing at it soon.
Barbarian director Zach Cregger is set to write and direct the upcoming Resident Evil reboot. However, despite being “a gigantic Resident Evil game fan,” the director has already stated that he’s “definitely not trying to be completely obedient to the lore of the games” (via Gamesradar). So, fans of Resident Evil can expect some big changes when the film is released.
Luckily, the changes shouldn’t hurt the tone of the franchise, as Cregger still wants the film to feel “authentic to the experience you get when you play the games.” Although he doesn’t want to “[break] any major rules,” the director already realizes that any changes mean that “no matter what I do, people are going to come for me online.” Here are Cregger’s full comments:
“I am a gigantic Resident Evil game fan. I’ve played them all. I don’t know how many times I’ve just looped [RE4] again and again. I just love it. I’m definitely not trying to be completely obedient to the lore of the games; I’m trying to tell a story that just feels authentic to the experience you get when you play the games. I don’t think I’m breaking any major rules, but I also recognize that no matter what I do, people are going to come for me online. So all I want to do is just make a really good movie and tell a story that’s compelling. I know that I’m gonna be happy with the movie, and hopefully other people will, too.”
Changes Are To Be Expected From Zach Cregger
Changes are always scary when it comes to beloved franchises, and Cregger’s comments will undoubtedly make some Resident Evil fans hesitant to get excited for the film. However, the lore of Resident Evil is famously complicated, and rather than diving into where the story is more than nine games in, it seems that Cregger wants to start with the basics.
Making changes should be expected for Cregger, as he is known for taking big swings. Barbarian is a film that on paper sounds divisive thanks to its wild story, but it was beloved by audiences and critics alike. Barbarian already felt like a tonal match for Resident Evil, and based on that, Cregger could do a great job.
Our Take On Cregger’s Resident Evil Reboot Changes
Changes Aren’t Always Bad
Even if the Resident Evil movie reboot makes some slight changes to the video game series’ lore, it has to be better than the Resident Evil movie series that ran from 2002 to 2016. These films are famously disliked by fans of the games, with their changes to the story being a big sticking point.

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Resident Evil: Release Date, Director & Everything We Know About The Reboot
A new remake of Resident Evil is coming on the horizon, and there are already a ton of exciting details about the upcoming video game movie.
Cregger’s Resident Evil will undoubtedly be a step in the right direction, hopefully bringing the movie series closer to its video game roots. Changes aren’t always bad, and as long as there is a good reason for these Resident Evil story changes, the upcoming movie could be great.

Resident Evil
- Release Date
- September 18, 2026
- Director
- Zach Cregger
- Writers
- Zach Cregger, Shay Hatten