Zach Cregger’s new Resident Evil movie has received its first reactions, and early responses suggest the horror filmmaker may have delivered one of the franchise’s strongest big-screen adaptations yet. Following advance screenings, critics have praised the film for combining brutal gore, relentless suspense, dark humor and the survival-horror atmosphere associated with Capcom’s games.
The reactions are particularly notable because Cregger is approaching the franchise with an original story rather than adapting the adventures of established characters such as Leon S. Kennedy or Jill Valentine. Instead, the film follows Austin Abrams as Bryan, a medical courier who becomes trapped in a zombie outbreak while attempting to make a delivery to Raccoon City General Hospital.
With the movie scheduled to open exclusively in theaters on September 18, 2026, the early response could provide a major boost to Sony’s latest attempt to bring Resident Evil back to the big screen.
Critics Praise Zach Cregger’s Take on Resident Evil
The strongest early reactions focus on how effectively Cregger captures the tension of the games while giving the reboot its own cinematic identity. EJ Moreno called the movie “a true horror blockbuster,” while praising Cregger for going “bigger, scarier, and at his most fun.”
Mark Cassidy similarly highlighted the film’s connection to the source material, saying that it taps into the “relentless tension of the games.” He also described it as bloody and funny while calling it one of the best video game adaptations he has seen.
Kellvin Chavez was even more enthusiastic, describing the movie as “gloriously gory” and praising its creature designs. His reaction also singled out Abrams, who plays an ordinary man suddenly forced into an extraordinary fight for survival.
Other reactions have emphasized the balance between horror and humor. Film critic Tristian Circa ‘89 described the movie as intensely frightening while noting that Abrams’ natural charm makes Bryan an easy character to root for. Variety’s Jordan Moreau went further, calling the movie one of the best video game adaptations ever made.
Austin Abrams Leads a New Resident Evil Story
Rather than returning to the characters from the games, Cregger and co-writer Shay Hatten created Bryan as the central protagonist. Sony describes the character as a medical courier who finds himself caught in a chaotic fight for survival during one horrifying night.
The decision to avoid familiar protagonists has generated some debate among longtime fans. Cregger has previously acknowledged that he was “naive” to think he could create an original story within such an established franchise without facing resistance from parts of the fandom.
The new approach nevertheless allows the filmmaker to explore the Resident Evil universe without simply recreating one of the games. Cregger, whose previous horror work includes Barbarian and Weapons, directs the film and co-writes the screenplay with Hatten. The cast also includes Zach Cherry, Kali Reis and Paul Walter Hauser.
The latest movie follows several previous attempts to adapt Resident Evil for cinemas. The franchise’s film series began with the 2002 movie starring Milla Jovovich and continued through five sequels before Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City rebooted the property in 2021. Those films have collectively earned more than $1.2 billion worldwide.
Sony Pictures has confirmed that Cregger’s Resident Evil will arrive exclusively in theaters on September 18, 2026.
