Resident Evil Reset Coming: Barbarian Director to Helm

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 is set to write and direct the reboot. THR indicates four studios, including Netflix and Warner Bros., are vying for the distribution deal.

Cregger gained recognition for his 2022 horror hit Barbarian, a suspenseful tale about a woman's unsettling discovery at a rented house. He has already completed his next film, Weapons, which reportedly received highly positive audience test screenings.

[Read our Barbarian review here.](Link to Barbarian review)

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

Constantin Film, in collaboration with PlayStation Productions, will produce Cregger's reboot, mirroring their involvement in previous films. Sony launched PlayStation Productions in 2019 to adapt its game properties into film and television, including Uncharted (starring Tom Holland), Gran Turismo, the The Last of Us TV series, and Twisted Metal.

Future PlayStation Productions projects include adaptations of 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.