Resident Evil Reboot In the Works From Barbarian Director

Zach Cregger, director of the acclaimed horror film Barbarian and a member of the comedy troupe The Whitest Kids U Know, is helming a Resident Evil reboot. A bidding war is underway among four studios, including Netflix and Warner Bros., for the distribution rights to Cregger's project, which he will write and direct.

Cregger's 2022 film, Barbarian, garnered significant attention for its chilling narrative about a woman who discovers a terrifying secret in her rental house. He has already completed his next film, Weapons, which reportedly has tested exceptionally well with audiences. [Read our Barbarian review here.]

This marks the second attempt at a Resident Evil film reboot. The franchise previously saw six films directed by Paul W.S. Anderson and starring Milla Jovovich, which, while diverging from the games' storylines, achieved worldwide box office success, grossing $1.2 billion. A 2021 reboot, Welcome to Raccoon City, directed by Johannes Roberts, aimed for greater faithfulness to the games but fell short of critical acclaim.

Constantin Film will produce the upcoming reboot alongside PlayStation Productions, mirroring their involvement in previous Resident Evil films. Established in 2019, PlayStation Productions actively adapts Sony's video game properties into film and television, with previous successes including Uncharted (starring Tom Holland), Gran Turismo, the The Last of Us TV series, and Twisted Metal.

Future PlayStation Productions projects include adaptations of Until Dawn, Days Gone, Ghost of Tsushima, Gravity Rush, Helldivers, Horizon Zero Dawn, and an Uncharted sequel. A God of War TV series and a recently announced Ghost of Tsushima anime series are also in development.