New Resident Evil Trailer Revealed with Packed Easter Eggs

Ever since its initial unveiling this past April, Zach Cregger’s upcoming Resident Evil adaptation has sparked intense debate among fans due to its unconventional spin on the survival horror genre. Steering away from iconic protagonists like Leon S. Kennedy or Claire Redfield, the film centers on an everyday newcomer thrust into a nightmarish, quintessential Resident Evil scenario. Fortunately, Sony Pictures’ newest preview might just win over skeptics, as it is jam-packed with authentic series easter eggs.

Naturally, the undead make their mandatory appearance, alongside the iconic, ever-reliable saving grace: the typewriter. Cregger and his production team even made certain to feature a box of the franchise’s signature Heavy Field shotgun shells. Characters utter “Raccoon City” with absolute gravity, and viewers are treated to glimpses of a delirious soul slipping into madness amidst the carnage, complete with a chilling zombie infant. It is unmistakably Resident Evil.

As this fresh promotional footage confirms, Cregger’s interpretation of the infamous Raccoon City outbreak diverges from the traditional 1998 timeline, incorporating modern technological conveniences like smartphones. So, cinema-goers needn’t be too puzzled by the sight of autumn snowfall in September.

As Cregger has repeatedly emphasized in interviews, his vision prioritizes translating the interactive pacing and mechanics of the source material over strictly adhering to its convoluted mythology. Resident Evil chronicles the harrowing journey of Bryan (Austin Abrams), a medical courier who, according to the official Sony Pictures synopsis, “unwittingly finds himself in an action-packed, non-stop race for survival as one fateful, horrifying night collapses around him in chaos.”

“The emotional trajectory you experience as an audience member closely mirrors the progression of playing these video games,” Cregger explained during a previous discussion. “Essentially, you follow a single protagonist from point A to point B as they descend deeper and deeper into an absolute abyss.” Furthermore, Cregger noted that this project aligns seamlessly with his artistic style and signature tone, boasting a vastly larger scale than his prior works, Weapons and Barbarian.

Over the past twenty years, Sony Pictures has released numerous cinematic entries inspired by the franchise, most notably the six-film series helmed by Paul W. S. Anderson and starring Milla Jovovich. Following the conclusion of that saga with 2016’s Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, the studio attempted a nostalgic reset with Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, which drew heavily from the foundational plots of the first two games. However, that release underperformed both critically and commercially, prompting Sony and Constantin Films to hand the reins over to Cregger for a fresh creative direction.

The upcoming feature stars Austin Abrams, Zach Cherry, Paul Walter Hauser, and Kali Reis. Cregger directed the film from a screenplay co-authored alongside Shay Hatten, whose credits include John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Army of the Dead. Resident Evil hits theaters nationwide and in IMAX formats on September 18.

Meanwhile, Capcom fans can look forward to yet another major, albeit similarly debated, video game adaptation arriving later in 2026: Kitao Sakurai’s Street Fighter.

‘I was such a devout fan of the titles, and previous adaptations simply didn’t capture that atmosphere.’

Source: Polygon