Zach Cregger Isn’t Ready To Walk Away From ‘Resident Evil’ and Wants a Say in What Comes Next

Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ was one of the biggest horror stories of the fall box office. Sony Pictures and Constantin Film’s reboot opened with $60 million domestically, the best debut in the franchise’s history, and reached $108.3 million worldwide in its first weekend.

The film went on to earn roughly $400 million worldwide on a reported $75 million budget, according to Comic Basics, making it the highest-grossing entry in the series and Cregger’s biggest hit. With numbers like that, talk of a sequel was always going to follow.

Now the filmmaker has made his position clear. Speaking on Matt Belloni’s podcast The Town, Cregger said he wants to stay creatively involved in any future ‘Resident Evil’ sequels.

Asked whether he would be comfortable producing follow-ups without writing or directing them himself, Cregger said he would still want some input. “I can’t help but have an idea for where that franchise could go,” he explained. The comment hints that he has already thought about where the story could head next, even if he doesn’t end up behind the camera.

The remarks fit a pattern for the director. Cregger has said ‘Resident Evil’ is the only franchise property he intends to direct, because he wants the freedom to keep writing original stories.

New trailer for Zach Cregger’s ‘RESIDENT EVIL.’ In theaters on September 18. https://t.co/6TMODXfTWg

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He had also presented his version as a self-contained story. Around release, however, he told The Playlist that he couldn’t stop thinking about other directions the story could take. Several outlets note that he has never considered a sequel to his breakout horror hit ‘Barbarian’. That makes his attachment to ‘Resident Evil’ stand out even more.

Cregger directed the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Shay Hatten. Instead of bringing back familiar faces from the games, the reboot follows Bryan, a medical courier played by Austin Abrams, who is caught up in the chaos of Raccoon City.

First clip from Zach Cregger’s ‘RESIDENT EVIL’. In theaters on September 18. https://t.co/Y23ocadzcw

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Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, Paul Walter Hauser, and Johnno Wilson round out the cast. Opening-night audiences gave the film a B+ CinemaScore. The response from longtime fans was more divided. Some criticized the film’s departures from the games, and Cregger has joked about going on an apology tour so fans stop calling him a LARPer.

For now, nothing is official. Sony hasn’t announced plans for a follow-up, and any sequel would need studio approval, although the film’s ending reportedly leaves the door open. Other filmmakers have also shown interest. Johannes Roberts, who directed ‘Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City’, has said he’d like to direct a sequel, and Cregger has reportedly said he’s open to a video game crossover.

Cregger’s schedule is also full. His upcoming projects include ‘The Flood’ and a ‘Weapons’ prequel, so any return to the zombie-filled world would likely have to fit around those commitments. The original 6 films starring Milla Jovovich earned around $1.1 billion combined, and Cregger’s reboot gave the brand new momentum.

A director who knows what made this version work could prove valuable to Sony as it plans the next step. Whether he ends up writing, producing, or simply consulting, Cregger has made it clear he isn’t ready to let go of the world he rebuilt.

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