Resident Evil is an interesting franchise. It's been wildly successful as both a video game and a film property, even though the latter has never had a particularly strong reputation for quality. There have been seven Resident Evil films to date, and none of them are considered particularly, well, good.
All that could change, though. Resident Evil is reportedly eyeing a reboot, and the director they have linked to the film, Zach Cregger, debuted with one of the most beloved horror films of 2022. Cregger got his start as a comedian, but he made a splash with the chilling thriller Barbarian.
Cregger's debut film was a surprise success
The film was praised for both its unique premise and surprising execution. Both of these aspects would be wonderful additions to a Resident Evil franchise that has always been short of inventive presentation. Resident Evil is recognizable, but the quality has really gone downhill since the first installment in 2002.
The report of a Cregger-led Resident Evil came from Geek Tyrant, so it's worth noting that this could very much be subject to change. There has not yet been confirmation from the franchise producers or Cregger himself.
The franchise has been rebooted twice this decade
That said, a more focused reboot of the franchise makes complete sense. The films sputtered out after the release of Resident Evil: The Final Chapter in 2016. There have been two separate attempts to reboot it, and neither was particularly successful.
Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City turned a minor profit at the box office in 2021, but most critics agreed that the fresh approach did not quite live up to its potential. Then there was the TV reboot Resident Evil, which premiered on Netflix in 2022 and got the chord yanked on it after one season.
Fans and critics agreed that the TV show was a step backward in quality. Zach Cregger is one of the most touted talents in horror at the moment, so we may be on the cusp of getting the best Resident Evil film yet!