News Resident Evil Resident Evil Trailer Looks Nothing Like the Games, But Feels Exactly Like Them The trailer for Zach Cregger’s next movie shows why he was drawn to this project By Matthew Byrd | Published on July 23, 2026 Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures Comment 0 Share New Share Photo Credit: Columbia Pictures Early reactions to the news that director Zach Cregger’s follow-up to the Oscar-winning Weapons (MADIGAN!!!) will be a film based on the Resident Evil games were, understandably, mixed. A movie based on a video game in a franchise that has…oh, let’s say varied wildly in quality over the years? It was an unexpected choice, to say the least. However, this new trailer for Resident Evil makes it a little easier to understand why Cregger chose this project. After all, it looks almost nothing like the games except in the ways it very much does. Confused? That’s understandable. As Cregger has previously stated, he’s largely interested in using this film to capture the feeling of playing the Resident Evil games rather than the strict lore of the games themselves. He wants the movie to feel like a kind of prolonged panic attack starring someone who isn’t very good at playing those games and is therefore most susceptible to their frights. This preview certainly does an excellent job of conveying that sensation. As we watch our protagonist Bryan (Austin Abrams) scrounge for resources and information after a strange incident on an isolated road sends him on a slow descent into Hell, it’s easy to recall the first time you played a horror game only to find yourself throwing the controller across the room in a panic. Callbacks abound (I know that shotgun hanging on the wall), but that’s not really the focus. Those who have seen the movie’s other previews (or played the games) know that there are worse things in store for Bryan, but this effective tease certainly sells the premise’s underlying terror. For what it’s worth, Resident Evil has been described by those who have seen earlier cuts of it as a kind of prolonged chase reminiscent of a horror version of something like Fury Road. If that sounds like more of your thing, then be sure to keep an eye on Resident Evil as it nears its September 18 theatrical release date.[end-mark] The post <i>Resident Evil</i> Trailer Looks Nothing Like the Games, But Feels Exactly Like Them appeared first on Reactor.