First Trailer for New Resident Evil Movie From Weapons Director Looks Perfect

Photo: Sony Pictures

The highly anticipated Resident Evil adaptation from visionary filmmaker Zach Cregger—the mastermind behind Weapons and Barbarian—has finally dropped its debut trailer. As Sony Pictures’ latest first look demonstrates, Cregger’s perspective on Capcom’s iconic survival horror series marks a significant departure from the previous seven live-action installments and the aborted Netflix series.

This tonal shift is intentional. Cregger has been vocal about his desire to avoid a rote translation of existing game narratives, emphasizing that his project is an original tale that merely “takes place within the world of the games.”

In the teaser, we are introduced to Bryan (Austin Abrams), a medical courier swept up in a relentless, pulse-pounding struggle for survival as he navigates a night spiraling into absolute chaos. The footage also teases a menagerie of grotesque, imaginative entities that appear to push the boundaries of traditional Resident Evil creature design.

Watch the official trailer below:

“The experience of watching this film should mirror the journey of playing these games,” Cregger remarked in a previous interview. “It tracks a single protagonist moving from point A to point B, descending deeper into a waking nightmare.” Cregger noted that the film aligns with his unique sensibilities, promising a much grander scale than both Weapons and Barbarian.

Sony’s history with the franchise spans two decades, most notably with the six films starring Milla Jovovich. Following the lukewarm reception of the 2021 reboot Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, the studio pivoted to Cregger to breathe new life into the IP. Notably, Cregger remains uninfluenced by the previous cinematic entries, having opted not to watch any of them.

Resident Evil features a cast including Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Paul Walter Hauser, and Kali Reis. Cregger directed from a screenplay he co-penned with Shay Hatten (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum). The film is slated for an IMAX release on September 18. Additionally, fans of Capcom adaptations can look forward to Kitao Sakurai’s Street Fighter arriving later in 2026.

Source: Polygon