Ever since it was announced, Zach Cregger’s adaptation of Resident Evil has been under a microscope. In an era flooded with video games being turned into movies, fans have become exceedingly precious about how their beloved source material is utilized in the process. While the horror director has more than proven his creative instincts with both Barbarians and Weapons, he feels like the press tour has required him to constantly reassure fans that he gets video games.
āI feel like Iāve been on somewhat of an apology tour,ā he told The Playlist this week (via IGN). āI feel like Iām running for office, trying to get these people not to call me a LARPer.ā
This largely has to do with the fact that the existing Resident Evil movies had basically nothing to do with the franchise’s main characters and lore, and fans have been waiting to see Capcom icons like Leon get big-screenĀ adaptations. Cregger’s take on the survival horror series being another one-off that’s divorced from the specifics of the video game storylines didn’t go over well with some of those players.
He continued
I think I was naive. I thought fans of these games, like me, would be thrilled that somebody was coming along and turning Resident Evil into a survival horror movie. I was like, āThatās great.ā I did not really appreciate the sentiment that, āWeāve been waiting forever for Leonās story.ā And I appreciate that, and Iām sorry thatās not the story Iām bringing. I get it, I understand the frustration. I understand it so well because I havenāt seen the earlier [Resident Evil] movies, because they don’t look like the Resident Evil that I love, so how could I be frustrated with fans who have that same attitude?
You can get a sense of this sentiment in an interview Cregger did with IGN at San Diego Comic-Con 2026, where he was asked to do some silly quizzes about what he’d sell to Resident Evil 4‘s merchant. The director is fully prepared to give answers that prove his franchise bona fides, but things didn’t go as planned. The awkward vibe shift blew up on X, and while completely innocuous, it hit home the clash of worlds Cregger is hinting at. And he’s clearly exhausted with it all.
āNow, Iām just like, āYou know what? See the movie,āā he told The Playlist. āIf you still feel the same way after youāve seen it, then whatever you think is fair. Youāre going to decide if Iām an actual Resident Evil fan or a fake. What can I say? I think the movie is going to speak for itself.ā
It doesn’t sound like Cregger is planning on doing any sequels either, or any other franchise adaptations, for that matter. The Dune-like pain box that is trying to please existing fans isn’t him, no matter how much it might pay.
“I have been very clear that Iām not doing that,” he told Deadline. “Iām doing this, and thatās it for me. So Iām not going to go tackle any other franchises ā just because Iām a writer, and I want to write whatever I want to write. I donāt want to write something where I have to make sure Iām tagging different data points to satisfy X. I just want to satisfy me.”
He continued, “And the only reason that I think Resident EvilĀ is OK for me to do is because Iām enthusiastic about the games and I like the story that I thought of with the games and Iām making it for me. I think this movie is cool, and I hope it checks the fan boxes because Iām a fan and Iām checking my boxes. Iām making theĀ Resident Evil movie that I wish existed, so I can do that with a clean heart and a clear conscience and not feel like Iām getting f*cked by some weird industry thing.”
