‘Resident Evil’ Trailer from ‘Weapons’ Director Looks Freaky as Hell
The first trailer for the new Resident Evil movie has been unleashed.
Directed by Zach Cregger—the man behind Weapons and Barbarian—the latest adaptation of the video games of the same name sees Cregger reunite with Weapons scene stealer Austin Abrams, once again putting him through some totally chaotic situations.
While some fans were skeptical about Cregger’s approach—choosing to center the film on an original character and not directly adapt any of the games—the freaky first footage is sure to convince some critics.
What's Resident Evil About?
According to Sony Pictures, the film tells an “all-new story,” with Abrams starring as Bryan, a medical courier “who unwittingly finds himself in an action-packed, non-stop race for survival as one fateful, horrifying night collapses around him in chaos.”
Per Polygon, Bryan is trying to make a delivery to Raccoon City, which video game fans will recognize as the source of the T-virus outbreak.
The footage shows Bryan showing up at a remote home, looking for help after running into “a little bit of a problem on the road.” Telling someone on the phone that he’s “in a seriously f--ked up situation,” Bryan comes across several dead—and undead—bodies, winds up in a sewer with a giant mystery enemy, and runs for his life as zombies hurl themselves off rooftops, exploding in blood around him.
The movie also stars Zach Cherry, Kali Reis, and Paul Walter Hauser.
Video Game Easter Eggs
While the movie isn’t a direct adaptation of any of the games, Cregger told press that viewers should expect a lot of Easter eggs.
“I don’t spend a whole lot of time talking about stuff that’s only in the games,” Cregger said. “It’s more like [Bryan’s] going to open a room and see a typewriter on a desk. Anybody who plays the games is going to know exactly what he’s looking at, anyone who doesn’t play the games is going to be like What’s the big deal? It’s a typewriter on a desk. I’m putting a lot of objects from the games all over the world.”
He also said the movie will feel like a video game, thanks to his camera framing and Bryan’s progressive weapons upgrades. Cregger’s goal was to replicate the feeling he had while playing Resident Evil 2 for the first time.
“I’m using video game language to always kind of be behind [Bryan] and swirling around and paying attention to what he’s paying attention to,” Cregger added. “Sometimes I jump to first-person, sometimes I use standard coverage if he’s having a conversation with someone. But I really wanted to embrace that immersive feel that I get when I play the games.”
As for why he didn’t center the movie around a protagonist from the games, like fan favorite Leon Kennedy, Cregger had good reason.
“I’m just going to tell another story that feels like playing a game in the world of the game, but I’m not stepping on the toes of any of Leon’s storyline,” he said. “I’m not recasting Leon, God forbid. I’m letting Leon stay Leon, and I feel like that’s the most respectful thing I could do.”
“I wanted to construct a story that could live in the world of Resident Evil and kind of be on the periphery of the events of Resident Evil 2, where Raccoon City is having its big night, but tell just another story that could be happening in parallel, that really honors the vibe and the pacing you get when you play the games,” Cregger added.
Fans can decide whether he was successful when the movie his theaters on September 18, 2026.