A new trailer for the upcoming Resident Evil movie, directed by Zach Cregger (known for Barbarian and Weapons), has just dropped. While the trailer clearly draws inspiration from the popular video game series – particularly Resident Evil 2 (1998) and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999) – in terms of visuals, story elements, and overall mood, the film also features some significant differences.
Okay, so this movie covers the Raccoon City disaster, but it’s a totally different take on things. Instead of playing as Leon, Claire, or Jill – you know, the usual heroes – you experience everything through this regular guy, Bryan, who’s just a medical courier. He’s kinda nerdy, and we see the outbreak unfold from his eyes, which is pretty interesting.
This movie differs from the games and their remakes by taking place in the present day. The older games used 1990s technology to build suspense, but this film relies on modern technology for its horror.
The movie isn’t just set in a different year than the game; the season has also been changed. The original game’s Raccoon City incident happened in September, but the film takes place during a snowy winter.
At San Diego Comic-Con, Cregger shared that he aimed to create a unique cinematic experience, going beyond simply adapting the games for film. He had a clear idea of what he wanted to show.
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The film is set in a snowy environment in 2026, which explains why the character Bryan has an iPhone, according to director Cregger (as reported by DiscussingFilm). He made this choice, and others, to ensure the story and visuals matched his creative vision.
Look, I’m not trying to recreate Resident Evil 2 beat for beat with this film. There are definitely changes from what you play in the game, and I wanted to be upfront about that. But honestly? I think a snowy setting for a horror movie looks amazing – it’s just really cool.
This movie distinguishes itself from the 2021 Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City reboot by avoiding the same pitfall. That previous film, written and directed by Johannes Roberts, attempted to closely adapt both the original Resident Evil game and Resident Evil 2, but critics found it overly reliant on the source material.
According to Digital Spy, the movie suffers because it tries too hard to stay faithful to the source material.
Trying to combine elements from two different games leaves Welcome to Raccoon City feeling both cluttered and unfinished.
Resident Evil is released in cinemas on 18 September.
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2026-07-24 23:49