Barbarian Director Revives Resident Evil Franchise

Horror maestro Zach Cregger, the director behind cult hit Barbarian and former member of comedy troupe The Whitest Kids U' Know, is developing a fresh take on Resident Evil. The acclaimed filmmaker will reportedly write and direct this new cinematic iteration of Capcom's legendary survival horror franchise.

A heated Hollywood bidding war has reportedly broken out over distribution rights, with at least four major studios - including streaming giant Netflix and Warner Bros. - vying for the project. This intense competition demonstrates the continued commercial power of the Resident Evil brand decades after its debut.

Cregger skyrocketed to prominence with his 2022 breakout horror Barbarian, which follows a vacation rental with terrifying hidden depths. The director recently wrapped production on his next thriller Weapons, which according to insider reports has been scoring remarkably well in test screenings with audiences.

This marks the second attempt at rebooting the Resident Evil film series. The original six-film saga directed by Paul W.S. Anderson and starring Milla Jovovich grossed over $1.2 billion worldwide despite its loose adaptation of the source material. 2021's more game-faithful Welcome to Raccoon City, while an earnest effort, failed to capture the magic of Capcom's iconic games.

Constantin Film will once again produce alongside Sony's PlayStation Productions, the studio division responsible for recent game adaptations like Uncharted, HBO's The Last of Us, and the upcoming Twisted Metal series. Their growing slate includes highly anticipated projects based on Ghost of Tsushima, Horizon Zero Dawn, and a God of War TV adaptation announced earlier this year.