Horror filmmaker Zach Cregger has opened up about his frustrations regarding the public conversation leading up to the release of his Resident Evil film. Speaking on The Town with Matthew Belloni podcast, Cregger explained that much of the dialogue surrounding the project had little to do with the actual movie. Instead, the discussion was dominated by debates over whether the film met the specific standards of game fans, focused heavily on character usage, and scrutinized deviations from established lore.
Cregger noted that the discourse often revolved around why the film was not like the source material or why it was good that it differed, rather than evaluating the movie on its own merits. This sentiment left him frustrated from multiple angles, particularly as skeptical viewers fixated on specific details between the first trailer and the theatrical premiere. Common criticisms included the absence of Leon S. Kennedy, the decision to set Raccoon City in a snowy environment, and the inclusion of a smartphone for Austin Abrams' character.
Despite Cregger's attempts to explain that he took creative liberties to enhance the film's quality, these efforts did little to calm fans who were eager to see familiar faces and locations. He later admitted to being naive in assuming there would be any other outcome, acknowledging that he should have anticipated this reaction. However, the general audience responded positively to the new vision of Raccoon City, with the film receiving strong reviews, including an 8/10 from IGN.
Commercially, the movie has proven to be a tremendous hit. With a reported budget of $75 million, it opened to $108 million worldwide and has since crossed the $400 million mark globally as the Halloween weekend concludes. Cregger expressed pride in the final product, stating that he loves the film despite his initial shock at the nature of the pre-release conversation.
Regarding the future of the franchise, Cregger confirmed he has ideas for a potential Resident Evil 2 but also indicated a desire to step away from films based on existing intellectual properties. While he described the situation as "never say never," he suggested he is not terribly interested in carrying the weight of an established IP moving forward. In the meantime, Cregger is focusing on his next original project, The Flood, a sci-fi thriller starring Jennifer Lawrence scheduled to premiere on August 11, 2028.
Sources: IGN.