Resident Evil Reboot In the Works From Barbarian Director

Zach Cregger, acclaimed director of the horror hit Barbarian and a member of The Whitest Kids You Know, is set to helm a Resident Evil reboot. A fierce bidding war is underway, with Hollywood Reporter revealing that four studios, including Netflix and Warner Bros., are vying for distribution rights. Cregger will write and direct this new take on the iconic Capcom survival horror franchise.

Cregger's 2022 film, Barbarian, captivated audiences with its unsettling tale of a woman's terrifying discovery in a rented house. He's already completed his next project, Weapons, which reportedly has tested exceptionally well with viewers. [Read our Barbarian review here.]

This marks the second attempt at rebooting the Resident Evil film franchise. The previous series, directed by Paul W.S. Anderson and starring Milla Jovovich, generated $1.2 billion worldwide despite significant deviations from the game storylines. The 2021 reboot, Welcome to Raccoon City, directed by Johannes Roberts, aimed for greater game fidelity but ultimately fell short.

Constantin Film, the production company behind the Anderson films and Welcome to Raccoon City, will once again produce the upcoming reboot, this time in collaboration with PlayStation Productions. Launched in 2019, PlayStation Productions actively adapts Sony's game properties for the screen, with past 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 show and a recently announced Ghost of Tsushima anime series are also in development.