There’s no shortage of skepticism surrounding Zach Cregger’s upcoming Resident Evil movie. While the director has promised a survival-horror experience inspired by the games, some fans remain unconvinced, questioning whether the film is truly connected to the franchise or simply a new horror story wearing the Resident Evil name.

Cregger, however, appears confident that those doubts will disappear once audiences actually see the movie. Rather than directly adapting Resident Evil 2 or bringing back familiar characters such as Leon S. Kennedy, the filmmaker has chosen to tell an original story while attempting to capture the fear, tension, and resourcefulness that define the games.

The criticism has not gone unnoticed by Zach Cregger, who has repeatedly addressed concerns that he simply made his own horror movie and attached the Resident Evil brand to it. During a recent conversation on Seen on the Screen with Jacqueline Coley podcast,  he offered a blunt response to those questioning his approach.

“When they watch the movie, they will be thoroughly convinced that that is not the case,” said the filmmaker on the podcast. 

The statement on the podcast reflects Zach Cregger’s confidence that the finished film will make its connection to the games obvious. He has previously described the project as a love letter to the survival-horror experience, emphasizing the feeling of being under-equipped and constantly threatened rather than recreating an existing game storyline.

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And that distinction is at the heart of why Zach Cregger has taken such a different route with the franchise.

During his recent conversation with Curry Barker, Zach Cregger addressed the backlash from video game fans following the release of the first teaser for Resident Evil. According to the filmmaker, many fans understandably want to see familiar characters and storylines from the games, making them hesitant to embrace an entirely new narrative. However, Cregger believes directly adapting those stories could ultimately disappoint the very fans he wants to impress.

“But if I did that (following the same pattern) I don’t think I’d be creatively fulfilled, and I don’t even think they would enjoy it. If I just did the story of the games, I think the most diehard fans would be bummed.”

Instead, the movie follows Bryan, a medical courier who finds himself fighting for survival after an outbreak turns his routine delivery into a nightmare. The film notably does not feature Leon S. Kennedy, allowing Cregger to build a new protagonist and story within the Resident Evil universe. Zach Cregger has also revealed that he has not watched the previous Resident Evil movies, reinforcing his desire to approach the franchise through the games rather than previous adaptations.

With Resident Evil arriving on September 18, 2026, Cregger now has the ultimate opportunity to prove his point. Whether fans accept his creative liberties may ultimately depend on how effectively the movie captures the unmistakable tension of playing a Resident Evil game. For now, Cregger is asking skeptics to wait until they have actually seen the film.

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Are you excited to see Zach Cregger’s take on Resident Evil? Let us know in the comments!