A new Resident Evil film project is moving forward under the direction of Zach Cregger, the acclaimed filmmaker behind the horror hit "Barbarian." The venture was reportedly on hold following the underperformance of the 2021 film "Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City," according to Constantin Films CEO Oliver Berben.
Berben explained in an episode of The Town podcast that Cregger, alongside producer Roy Lee, approached Constantin Films with a distinct vision for a new Resident Evil movie. This outreach occurred at a time when the studio was reconsidering its approach to adapting the video game franchise. Cregger's passion and detailed concept, presented at a Beverly Hills cafe to Constantin Films co-president Robert Kulzer, impressed the studio's leadership.
"He came to the table and he had this idea. In his head, he knew exactly what he wanted, and he presented it to (Constantin Films co-president) Robert Kulzer in a cafe in Beverly Hills," Berben stated. "And he knew the whole movie. He knew everything he wanted to do, and it was so different from everything we had done so far that we started digging into it. It was more moody, more like the game. He's a gamer, he loved playing the games. So he came to this from a completely new direction."
Berben noted that Cregger had not seen previous Resident Evil live-action films directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. Cregger's pitch, which reportedly centered on an ordinary individual thrust into a terrifying scenario, resonated with the studio. The director's work on "Barbarian" had already established him as a notable talent in the horror genre, and his subsequent film "Weapons" further solidified his rising status in Hollywood.
The new Resident Evil film is slated for release on September 18. Early box office projections suggest it could achieve a strong opening weekend for the franchise, with estimates ranging from $40 to $50 million in North America.