Barbarian Director to Reboot Resident Evil

Zach Cregger, renowned for directing the chilling horror film Barbarian and as a member of the comedy troupe The Whitest Kids You Know, is now channeling his talents into a new project: a reboot of the iconic Resident Evil franchise. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a fierce bidding war is currently underway among four studios, including Netflix and Warner Bros., eager to secure the distribution rights to Cregger's vision of the classic Capcom survival horror series. Cregger is set to both write and direct this anticipated reboot.

Cregger gained significant attention with his 2022 horror hit Barbarian, which follows a woman who uncovers a terrifying secret in her rental home. Following this success, Cregger has completed his next film, Weapons, which has reportedly received exceptionally positive feedback from test audiences. For more insights, you can check out our review of Barbarian here.

This upcoming *Resident Evil* reboot marks the second attempt to revitalize the franchise on screen. Previously, Paul W.S. Anderson directed a series of six *Resident Evil* films, starring Milla Jovovich, which, despite deviating from the source material, amassed a global box office total of $1.2 billion. In 2021, Johannes Roberts directed *Welcome to Raccoon City*, a reboot that aimed to stay truer to the games but fell short of capturing the essence of Capcom's acclaimed series.

Constantin Film, the production company behind Anderson's films and Welcome to Raccoon City, will once again produce this new reboot, this time in collaboration with PlayStation Productions. Established by Sony in 2019, PlayStation Productions has been instrumental in adapting video games into films and series, including Uncharted starring Tom Holland, Gran Turismo, the The Last of Us TV series, and Twisted Metal.

Looking ahead, PlayStation Productions has an exciting lineup of projects in development, including adaptations of Until Dawn, Days Gone, Ghost of Tsushima, Gravity Rush, Helldivers, Horizon Zero Dawn, and a sequel to Uncharted. Additionally, a God of War TV series and a Ghost of Tsushima anime series are also in the works, promising a rich slate of content for fans of video game adaptations.