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 You Know, is set to helm a Resident Evil reboot. The Hollywood Reporter reports a fierce bidding war is underway for distribution rights, with Netflix and Warner Bros. among the four studios vying for the project. Cregger will write and direct this new take on the iconic Capcom survival horror franchise.

Cregger's 2022 film, Barbarian, garnered significant praise for its unique blend of horror and suspense. He's 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 cinematic reboot. The franchise previously saw six films directed by Paul W.S. Anderson and starring Milla Jovovich, which, despite deviating from the games' storylines, achieved a remarkable $1.2 billion worldwide box office gross. A 2021 reboot, Welcome to Raccoon City, directed by Johannes Roberts, aimed for greater game fidelity but ultimately fell short of critical acclaim.

Constantin Film, the production company behind the previous films and Welcome to Raccoon City, will once again produce the upcoming reboot, this time in collaboration with PlayStation Productions. Established in 2019, PlayStation Productions actively adapts Sony's video game properties for film and television, with notable successes including the Uncharted film starring Tom Holland, Grand 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.