Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ Puts a Lean, Mean Spin on the Iconic Horror Franchise | Review

With remakes and reboots serving as one of the cornerstones of modern filmmaking these days, the biggest question that any new reinterpretation faces is whether it can successfully justify its own existence. Simultaneously, any iconic, long-running franchise usually has more than one remake or reboot under its belt, so any creator bold enough to take their own shot needs to break new narrative ground, rather than deliver a variation on a story fans have seen countless times before. Resident Evil, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, has only expanded its world since the release of its first game and represents a hefty challenge for anyone looking to tackle an adaptation. Enter writer and director Zach Cregger (Barbarian, Weapons), who became attached to Constantin Film’s attempt to re-reboot the franchise’s movie arm back in January 2025 and whose plans for a standalone story set in the world of the games were met by fans with cautious optimism.