The upcoming Resident Evil movie adaptation by Barbarian and Weapons director Zach Cregger will not feature one of the franchise’s most popular characters. Cregger wishes to create a new story while still adhering to game canon and conventions, leaving out traditional characters.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Cregger said his RE adaptation will be “an entirely original story,” that is very much his own. “It’s just [that] it takes place in the Resident Evil world. I don’t think fans of the games are gonna be bummed,” he said.
Cregger added that, his story being original, it won’t feature popular franchise characters, including Leon Kennedy. “I’m not gonna steal Leon and put him in an original story. I think that would be presumptuous,” he said, adding, “I respect the games enough where I’m gonna like tell a Resident Evil story in the Resident Evil canon that still leaves everything they love intact from the games.”
So, we’re getting a Resident Evil story without the poster boy making an appearance, which honestly could be a good thing for the series. After all, Leon and other characters have at least shown their face in just about every Resident Evil game over the past 30 years, and it’s high time new, fresh faces take up the torch and carry the franchise’s legacy. It’s an unfortunate truth that nothing lasts forever, including the spark of unique characters such as Claire Redfield, Leon Kennedy, Chris Redfield, and others.
Zach Cregger is best-known for his work in comedy and horror, with his breakthrough in the latter coming after the release of Barbarian, which stands among the best and most refreshing horror films I’ve ever seen. Most recently, Cregger directed Weapons, a critically and commercially successful horror film about a class of children who go mysteriously missing one night.
He’s now set to direct the newest Resident Evil movie adaptation, hopefully continuing his successful run in the genre.
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Published: Sep 19, 2025 10:57 am