By Drew Dietsch
| Published
Zach Cregger is already at work on his next project after the release and success of Weapons: a new Resident Evil movie. The video game franchise has been subjected to seven live-action feature films, but Cregger is bringing something to the table for this eighth outing that actually makes me intrigued.
The previous seven movies (and even the forgotten single season Netflix show) have all taken direct inspiration from stories and characters in the Resident Evil game series. According to Zach Cregger, his Resident Evil movie is breaking with the program by offering a brand new story that won’t be dependent on recognizable characters.
This is exactly what we need from a new Resident Evil.
The Resident Evil Movies Haven’t Captured the Spirit of the Games
The original series of six Resident Evil movies made under the supervision of Paul W. S. Anderson injected their own original story and lead character into the world of the games. While I confess an affinity for more than a few of those movies, they also never seemed terribly interested in trying to capture the actual atmosphere and tonal approach of the games.
Granted, Resident Evil is a series based around taking more classic horror concepts and injecting them with over-the-top sci-fi experimentation madness. The first game is all about a spooky manor right out of some Gothic tale, and it seems like it’ll just be a typical zombie story at first. But there’s a giant snake and mutant shark in the mix as well. So, the absurdity of the Paul W. S. Anderson era is not without backing from the games.
Then, we got Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, which looked like a fan film recreation of the games to a damaging degree. Instead of really approaching what makes those games work at their core, Welcome to Raccoon City was nothing but surface understanding of the material. We still didn’t get a Resident Evil movie that put us into the same vibespace as the games.
A Creative With A Take
Which brings me back to my excitement for Zach Cregger and his take on a Resident Evil movie. Cregger has sworn up and down that he is a true lover of the games, and that he is writing a story that will respect the canon storylines from the games. I don’t give two Lickers about canon but I know that will appease a fair amount of fanboys.
Instead, I am excited that someone like Zach Cregger seems to be approaching Resident Evil with a bold take. Telling a story that takes place in the established world of the games but with new characters sounds like it will actually offer some real creative freedom. And if Weapons and Barbarian are any indication, Cregger is going to bring both narrative and visual flair to the project.
I think there is such incredible potential for a Resident Evil movie that hasn’t been truly tapped into yet, but Zach Cregger seems like the right dude for the job. If he can put a visionary stamp on the material while offering diehard fans something they love, he’ll be looking at quite the directorial run.
