It’s official: Austin Abrams, an actor known for his roles in Euphoria, Dash & Lily and Paper Towns, will be the main face of the next Resident Evil film.
This was confirmed by director Zach Cregger, who also revealed the release window: the film will arrive in the cinemas in September 2026.
The news marks an important step for Capcom’s historic horror saga, which over the years has seen various types of cinematographic transpositions, often divided between the applause of a part of the public and the criticisms of those who considered the spirit of the original games too far (which you find on Amazon).
This time, however, Cregger turned on the curiosity of the fans with a very specific comparison: the new Resident Evil will be like Evil Dead 2.
Who knows Sam Raimi’s cult film know that it is not a random reference. Evil Dead 2 is remembered for its unique mixture of grotesque horror, exaggerated violence and deliberately above the lines, a formula that, if transposed correctly, could give new life to the film imagination of Resident Evil.
The comparison suggests an approach that will not be limited to the simple videogame adaptation, but which will try to capture the visceral and at the same time absurd atmosphere of a nightmare brought to the extreme.
The choice of Abrams as the protagonist represents an interesting signal: the actor, so far, has not been associated with high -profile horror roles, but has shown versatility and a scenic presence capable of going from drama to comedy, quality that could prove precious in a context where tension and surreal moments coexist.
With the release scheduled for 2026, the film has all the time to generate expectations (and inevitable discussions) on the tone, on the loyalty to the saga and the ability to satisfy an audience now used to both the dark atmospheres of the first games and to the derives action of the latest cinematographic iterations.
It remains to be understood if this new incarnation will be able to find a balance between respect for the origins and willingness to surprise, just like Evil Dead 2 did in its time.
