Horror Icon "Resident Evil" Revived with New Film

Zach Cregger, acclaimed director of the horror film Barbarian and a member of the comedy troupe The Whitest Kids You Know, is helming a Resident Evil reboot.

The Hollywood Reporter reports a fierce bidding war is underway for distribution rights to Cregger's adaptation of Capcom's iconic survival horror franchise. Cregger will write and direct the reboot. Four studios, including Netflix and Warner Bros., are reportedly vying for the rights.

Cregger's 2022 film, Barbarian, about a woman who discovers a terrifying secret in a rented house, propelled him to prominence. He has already completed his next project, Weapons, which reportedly received overwhelmingly positive audience test screenings.

[Read our Barbarian review here.](Insert Link Here)

This marks the second cinematic reboot of the Resident Evil franchise. Paul W.S. Anderson directed a six-film series starring Milla Jovovich, which, while deviating from the games, generated $1.2 billion globally. A 2021 reboot, Welcome to Raccoon City, directed by Johannes Roberts, aimed for greater game fidelity but fell short of the games' quality.

Constantin Film, alongside PlayStation Productions, will produce Cregger's reboot, mirroring their involvement in previous films. Established in 2019, Sony's PlayStation Productions adapts its game properties into films and television, including Uncharted (starring Tom Holland), Grand Turismo, the The Last of Us TV series, and Twisted Metal.

Future PlayStation Productions projects encompass 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 recently announced Ghost of Tsushima anime series are also in development.