Zach Cregger, acclaimed director of the horror film Barbarian and a member of the comedy troupe The Whitest Kids U 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 the iconic Capcom 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 exceptionally positive audience test screenings.
Read our Barbarian review here.
This marks the second Resident Evil film franchise reboot. Paul W.S. Anderson directed a six-film series starring Milla Jovovich, which, despite deviating from the games, achieved worldwide box office success exceeding $1.2 billion. 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, in collaboration with PlayStation Productions, will produce Cregger's reboot, mirroring their involvement in previous films. Established in 2019, PlayStation Productions adapts Sony's game properties for film and television, with past successes including Uncharted (starring Tom Holland), Gran 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 series and a recently announced Ghost of Tsushima anime series are also in development.
