A new Resident Evil movie is in the works, but don’t count it out just yet, as it’s being directed by a highly praised horror director!

Resident Evil is experiencing a renaissance on the video game front, with the recent remake of the legendary fourth installment being a huge success both critically and in terms of sales. However, this success hasn’t been mirrored in live-action adaptations: neither Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City nor the Netflix series that was canceled after one season impressed fans, to put it mildly. However, Hollywood isn't giving up easily, and neither are Constantin Film (which is behind the film franchise) and PlayStation Productions. This time, they’ve brought on Zach Cregger, the director of the highly praised horror film Barbarian. And yes, we can expect another reboot that won’t take the previous live-action Resident Evil films into account.

The Hollywood Reporter has announced that Cregger will write and direct the new Resident Evil, or, if you’re in Hungary, it’ll be released as the new Kaptár (the title under which the films have been known here). For now, it’s confirmed that Constantin and PlayStation Productions are producing the film, and Cregger’s co-writer will be Shay Hatten, who also worked on John Wick 4 and Zack Snyder’s Army of the Dead. It’s still unclear which studio will distribute the film, though, with Warner Bros. and Netflix reportedly in the running along with two other rivals.

The track record of previous Resident Evil films isn’t all that impressive. Up until 2017, Paul W.S. Anderson and Milla Jovovich teamed up to create action-packed and stylish films based on the games, but they didn’t quite hit the mark, drifting further away from the series with each new installment. A few years ago, Johannes Roberts attempted to adapt Resident Evil 2, one of the most beloved entries in the series, into a live-action film with Welcome to Raccoon City, with mixed results (fans didn’t like the weak portrayal of Leon or the poor special effects, among other issues). The 2022 Netflix series had a lot of potential but was ultimately undermined by its absurd changes to the mythology and overall low quality.

With Barbarian, Zach Cregger proved he knows how to build atmosphere and tension, which are essential for a good, smart horror film. Early feedback from test screenings suggests his new movie, Weapons (also a horror, starring Julia Garner and Josh Brolin), will be a strong one as well. So, Cregger’s name might just be the guarantee we need that this time we’ll finally get a good Resident Evil adaptation. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new Resident Evil will start from scratch, much like Welcome to Raccoon City, meaning it won’t be connected to any previous films, and it will be much more faithful to the spirit of the games, focusing on survival horror rather than an action movie.