Writer-director Hideo Kojima has shared his thoughts on Zach Cregger's recent Resident Evil movie, expressing admiration for its ability to evoke the feeling of playing the original game. Kojima, known for his public critiques of films, initially felt indifferent about watching the movie but found himself impressed.
"Right from the opening, it hits you with music reminiscent of The Thing," Kojima stated. "From there, it’s a relentless barrage of classic horror techniques, terrifying situations, and jump scares that never lets up until the very end." He observed that the film provides the "experience of playing Resident Evil" rather than adapting a specific narrative from the franchise.
This sentiment aligns with Cregger's stated intention for the movie, which aimed to create a visceral, game-like experience for viewers. Kojima related his own reaction to the film, recalling his initial playthrough of the 1996 Resident Evil on PlayStation. "I was just like [main character] Bryan in this movie. I kept getting game over after game over, shouting ‘F***!’ over and over again. lol," he shared.
The new Resident Evil movie has achieved significant commercial success, grossing over $320 million worldwide. Its performance in China, where it earned $40.7 million, contributed to making it the highest-grossing film in the series to date, surpassing 2016's The Final Chapter, which had grossed $312 million.
While Cregger has indicated he has ideas for a potential sequel, he plans to move away from franchise films to focus on original projects, starting with his next movie, The Flood. Meanwhile, Kojima is actively involved with his upcoming game projects, OD and Physint, the latter of which is also slated for film and television adaptations. His game Death Stranding is also set to be adapted for the big screen.