If you expected to see Leon S. Kennedy on the big screen in the next Resident Evil movie, you will have to review your expectations. Zach Cregger, director of the Horror Cult Weapons, confirmed that his cinematographic adaptation inspired by the Capcom franchise will be a completely original work, set in the universe of the saga but without resuming the adventures of historical characters.
In an interview granted to Entertainment Weekly, Cregger said: “When you see it, you will think: ‘This is really a Zach film’. It is simply set in the world of Resident Evil. I don’t think fans of the games will be disappointed”.
A clear position, which promises to respect the original material without distorting it, but which at the same time intends to tell a new story, capable of surprising the veterans of the saga.
The director stressed that he does not want to “steal” iconic characters like Leon to insert them in a story that does not belong directly to their narrative arc: “I respect too much games to do such a thing. I want to tell a story of Resident Evil who lives in his canon, leaving everything that fans love”.
The film will feature Austin Abrams, flanked by the Wrestler and actor Paul Walter Hauser. The script was written by the same creger together with Shay Hatten, and the director revealed that the work will be inspired by the tone of Resident Evil 4, with a narrative journey that will lead the viewer to “descend more and more deeply in hell”, just as happens in the games.
The release is set for September 18, 2026, and promises to bring an experience to the room that will balance loyalty to the original atmosphere and authorial creativity. If this experiment manages to conquer fans, we could attend a new phase for the resident Evil film franchise, finally capable of emancipating from the most conventional tie-in.