Zach Cregger, director of the acclaimed horror film Barbarian and a member of The Whitest Kids You Know, is helming a Resident Evil reboot. The Hollywood Reporter reports a fierce bidding war is underway for distribution rights, with Cregger writing and directing. Netflix and Warner Bros. are among the four studios vying for the project.
Cregger's Barbarian, a 2022 horror success, established his directorial prowess. His next film, Weapons, is reportedly testing exceptionally well with audiences. Read our Barbarian review here.
This marks the second Resident Evil film reboot. Paul W.S. Anderson's six-film series, starring Milla Jovovich, grossed over $1.2 billion globally, despite deviations from the game source material. The 2021 reboot, Welcome to Raccoon City, directed by Johannes Roberts, aimed for greater game fidelity but fell short of critical acclaim.
Constantin Film and PlayStation Productions will produce Cregger's reboot, mirroring their involvement in previous adaptations. Established in 2019, PlayStation Productions adapts Sony's game properties for film and television, 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 films based on Until Dawn, Days Gone, Ghost of Tsushima, Gravity Rush, Helldivers, and Horizon Zero Dawn, as well as an Uncharted sequel. A God of War TV series and a Ghost of Tsushima anime series are also in development.
