Zach Cregger Opens Up About the Frustrating Reaction to His ‘Resident Evil’ Movie

Zach Cregger’s ‘Resident Evil’ has been one of the biggest horror stories of the fall, both at the box office and online. The director of ‘Barbarian’ and ‘Weapons’ took on the long-running Capcom franchise with a script he co-wrote with Shay Hatten, promising a survival horror movie that captured the spirit of the games instead of copying them scene for scene.

That approach divided some longtime fans from the start. Cregger’s version left out Leon and other legacy characters, set the story in a snowy 2026, and built the film around Austin Abrams, with Paul Walter Hauser, Kali Reis, and Zach Cherry also in the cast. For many gamers, the absence of familiar faces became the main topic of conversation long before the film opened.

Now that the dust has settled, Cregger is speaking candidly about how that discourse affected him. Appearing on ‘The Town’, Matthew Belloni’s podcast, he told Belloni, “I was frustrated at the conversation around Resident Evil and how much of the conversation really didn’t have anything to do with the movie.”

Cregger explained that much of the reaction came down to the games rather than what was actually on screen. “It was just a lot about, ‘Why isn’t this like the source material, or why is it good that it’s not like the source material?’ All the conversation just felt like it was about not the movie,” he said.

The filmmaker also admitted that he should have seen it coming. He said he really loves the movie, but felt he should have known better going into a project tied to such a passionate fanbase, and was still a little shocked by how the conversation played out. He made the comments while being asked whether he’d adapt another existing property in the future. His answer wasn’t a firm no, as he simply said, “I mean, never say never.”

The first trailer for Zach Cregger’s ‘RESIDENT EVIL’ has been released. In theaters on September 18. https://t.co/eeVCAGzy6M

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 30, 2026

Whatever the online noise, the film has been a massive success. ‘Resident Evil’ opened on September 18 with $60 million domestically, well above tracking and by far the best debut in the franchise’s history, along with a $108.3 million global launch.

It has since passed $400 million worldwide against a reported $75 million budget. That makes it the highest-grossing ‘Resident Evil’ film ever, beating ‘Resident Evil: The Final Chapter’, and Cregger’s biggest hit to date, ahead of ‘Weapons’ and its $270 million haul.

Critics have been just as enthusiastic. As of mid-October, the film held a 96% score on Rotten Tomatoes from nearly 300 reviews, putting it ahead of ‘Obsession’ as the best-reviewed horror movie of the year. When asked about the film’s success in the face of the backlash, Cregger said, “I don’t know if I feel vindicated. I’m gratified.”

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

— Pop Base (@PopBase) July 23, 2026

The frustration Cregger described could shape what he does next. While Sony hasn’t confirmed a sequel, and he’s floated ideas about where the story could go, his next project is far from franchise territory.

He’s writing, producing, and directing ‘The Flood’, an original sci-fi thriller starring Jennifer Lawrence. On the podcast, Cregger also discussed pitching Lawrence on the film, which suggests he’s ready to return to the kind of original storytelling that made ‘Barbarian’ and ‘Weapons’ breakout hits.

For a filmmaker who has called himself a big fan of the games, the response to his ‘Resident Evil’ shows how hard it can be to adapt a beloved property on your own terms. Even record-breaking numbers and glowing reviews couldn’t fully drown out the debate over what the movie should have been.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!