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The Cinematic Schematic heads to Capcom’s infamous Raccoon City to review Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil.
For Better and Worse, Resident Evil is a Millennial Touchstone Horror Franchise
There are many entry points into Resident Evil. In its 30-year history, the video game series has had nine (or as many as twelve, depending on who you ask) mainline entries. The series has also had several video game remakes, with more on the way. As millennials may remember, Paul W.S. Anderson also made six films starring Milla Jovovich. Despite being critically unpopular, the saga grossed over a billion dollars. Lastly, a recent reboot, Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City, directed by Johannes Roberts, never quite found an audience.
The quality hasn’t always been consistent, but the B-movie charm, combined with the thrills of running from infected creatures, has endured and is as popular as ever.
Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil Presents a New Way to Play on the Big Screen
Enter: Zach Cregger. Coming off the acclaim and box office success of original horror with Barbarian and Weapons, taking on an established franchise may seem like a strange choice. It may sound like a decision to sell out, but the reality is that Cregger is a big fan of the video game series and made a pitch of his own on his own terms.
Resident Evil (2026) is Cregger’s reimagining that follows one very average man (Austin Abrams) as he delivers a package in Raccoon City on the night of the T-virus outbreak. His approach to adaptation swaps lore and fan service for an original story that emphasizes the gameplay experience players feel when playing the video games.
It’s a different way to think about adaptation, and if the current critical reception and box office receipts are any indication, it’s the future.
Is this take on the classic survival horror actually that good? And what does its success mean for the future of IP-driven movies?
Meet the Couriers
The Cinematic Schematic hosts Caleb Masters and Laron Chapman are joined by fellow survivors from Paul W.S. Anderson’s Raccoon City. Adam Courtliff of adamreviewsfilm.com and InSession Film and Jo Light from No Film School and Final Draft join the show to get into the nasty guts of Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil.
Left: Caleb Masters (Top) and Laron Chapman(Bottom)
Right: Adam Courtliff (Top) and Jo Light (Bottom)
Special Guests
Jo Light
No Film School / Final Draft Contributor
Follow Jo on Letterboxd
Adam Courtliff
adamreviewsfilm.com
Rotten Tomatoes Certified InSession Film Contributor
About Resident Evil
IMDB describes Resident Evil (2026) as:
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