"Barbarian Director to Reboot Resident Evil"

Zach Cregger, renowned for directing the horror film Barbarian and as a member of the comedy troupe The Whitest Kids You Know, is now set to helm a reboot of the iconic Resident Evil franchise. According to The Hollywood Reporter, a fierce bidding war is underway among four studios, including Netflix and Warner Bros., eager to secure distribution rights for Cregger's vision of the classic Capcom survival horror series. Cregger will both write and direct this highly anticipated project.

Cregger's recent success with Barbarian, a chilling tale of a woman uncovering a terrifying secret in a rental home, has garnered significant attention. Additionally, his upcoming film Weapons is reportedly receiving excellent feedback from test audiences, further solidifying his reputation in the horror genre.

For those interested, you can find our detailed review of Barbarian here.

This marks the second reboot for the Resident Evil franchise on screen. Previously, Paul W.S. Anderson directed a series of six films starring Milla Jovovich, which, despite deviating from the original games, amassed a global box office of $1.2 billion. In 2021, Johannes Roberts released Welcome to Raccoon City, an attempt to stay truer to the games, though it fell short of the quality fans expected from Capcom's revered series.

Constantin Film, in collaboration with PlayStation Productions, will produce this new reboot. PlayStation Productions, established by Sony in 2019, has been instrumental in adapting video games into films and series, including Uncharted with Tom Holland, Gran Turismo, The Last of Us TV series, and Twisted Metal.

Looking ahead, PlayStation Productions has an exciting lineup that includes adaptations of Until Dawn, Days Gone, Ghost of Tsushima, Gravity Rush, Helldivers, Horizon Zero Dawn, and a sequel to Uncharted. Additionally, a God of War TV series and a Ghost of Tsushima anime series are also in development, promising a rich future for gaming-inspired content.