Horror Icon Resident Evil Revived by Barbarian's Zach Cregger

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 2022 horror hit, Barbarian, centered on a woman's terrifying discovery in a rented house. He's also completed his next film, Weapons, which reportedly received overwhelmingly positive audience test screenings. [Link to Barbarian review]

This marks the second Resident Evil film reboot. Paul W.S. Anderson's six-film series starring Milla Jovovich, while deviating from the games, achieved significant box office success, grossing over $1.2 billion globally. The 2021 reboot, Welcome to Raccoon City, directed by Johannes Roberts, aimed for greater game fidelity but fell short of critical acclaim.

Constantin Film, alongside PlayStation Productions, will produce Cregger's reboot. Established in 2019, PlayStation Productions adapts Sony's game properties for film and television, 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 Ghost of Tsushima anime series are also in development.