Austin Abrams Lands Lead Role in Zach Cregger’s Upcoming Horror Film “He’s My Guy”

In early 2025, it was announced that Zach Cregger was working on rebooting the Resident Evil film series. This new movie is a joint project between Constantin Film and PlayStation Productions. Then, in March 2025, Sony Pictures won the rights to the Resident Evil franchise after a competitive bidding war.

Columbia Pictures will handle the distribution of the upcoming film, which is scheduled to be released on September 18, 2026. According to reports from June 2025, filming will take place in the Czech Republic.

Recently, in an interview with Ringer Movies, it was confirmed that Austin Abrams will star in this new Resident Evil movie.

Zach Cregger shared how excited he is to work with Abrams, calling him “my guy … we have an amazing thing together.” Fans might recognize Abrams from the movie Weapons, also directed by Cregger. Weapons received a lot of praise, especially within the horror community, and was even called one of the best horror films of the decade. This background makes Abrams a perfect fit for the Resident Evil reboot.

While many expected the film to closely follow the popular survival horror video games, Cregger plans to take a different approach. In a conversation with Inverse, he explained that he is a big fan of the games and wants to stay true to their world, but he will tell a new story.

He said, “Let me say this: this is not breaking the rules of the games. I am the biggest worshiper of the games, so I’m telling a story that is a love letter to the games and follows the rules of the games.”

Rather than focusing on well-known characters like Leon S. Kennedy or Jill Valentine, who are fan favorites, Cregger’s movie will follow a new story set outside the main characters from the games. He explained, “I’m not going to tell Leon’s story, because Leon’s story is told in the games. [Fans] already have that.” This choice has made some fans curious and cautious since many hoped to see their favorite characters on screen.

Introducing new characters isn’t a new idea for Resident Evil movies. The earlier films starring Milla Jovovich also created original characters not found in the games. Cregger seems to be following that same path by offering a fresh take while still connecting to the Resident Evil universe.

For fans who might be worried about this direction, Cregger’s advice is simple: “play the game.” He wants audiences to enjoy the movie as its own story but also appreciate the games that inspired it.

This choice could be a double-edged sword. While new stories can attract people unfamiliar with the games, longtime fans often want faithful adaptations that bring their favorite characters to life. It’s a tough balance for filmmakers working on projects based on popular video games.

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