“It’s a love letter to the games.” -Zach Cregger

A teaser trailer dropped for the latest movie adaptation of Resident Evil. With about two minutes of spooky but vague material, the internet was sent into a tizzy, per usual. The director, Zach Cregger, has already made it clear during production that he wanted to make something more original, and yet, the franchise “fanboys” are already losing their cool. Herein lies the issue. The movie releases later this year, and we only have a teaser trailer, and we already have drama. This isn’t a problem with direction or casting. It’s the rabid, foaming-at-the-mouth fanbase.

While I am a newer fan to Capcom’s horror series, I thoroughly enjoy everything Resident Evil has to offer. It’s an apocalyptic zombie (mostly) survival horror stuffed with lots of campiness. I also have fallen for the franchise favorites such as Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield. With a Resident Evil movie in 2026 joining the ranks of the influx of video game adaptations, I’m eager to see the direction this goes.

There have been several Resident Evil movies and television series, with some sticking closer to the source material than others. Overall, most of them saw little success. I’ve seen a few, and some were less than stellar. Was it the quality? Or were the gaming fans dooming them from the start? A full analysis of that would take days, so let’s just focus on Cregger’s Resident Evil.

As you can see in the sample quote below from Discussing Film, the Director behind Weapons is intentionally avoiding the use of existing characters like Leon. His stance is that the games do such a good job, that a movie wouldn’t do it justice. Sometimes “no” is the right answer.

However, as you can see in just a sample of the 446 (and growing) comments, people are already complaining before the movie could have its moment to prove itself:

Shot out to Vito Spatafore Jr:

Sure, it’s understandable that some may be somewhat hesitant after the teaser because…it’s only a teaser. There are glimpses of the monsters; however, other than the fact we know the movie takes place in Raccoon City, we don’t know the full extent of how close to the source material Cregger will get. Just because Chris or Jill isn’t in the film doesn’t mean the movie did nothing with this “source material”.

There is a great commentary by Zach while the trailer plays. This is some of what he said:

“So, basically, my rule for this movie was to just try and make a movie that felt like my experience playing the game…that could live in the world of Resident Evil… I feel like this movie takes place alongside the events of Resident Evil 2. I like to think that, you know, that everything that’s going on in the police station could be happening in this world. This is just another dude going on another mission on the other side of town… It’s a love letter to the games.” -Zach Cregger

Check out his full commentary here, courtesy of IGN:

This commentary is very important to understand the rationale behind Zach’s vision, and that he truly understands the source material. How a director chooses to use it is up to his discretion. And in my opinion, Zach is focusing on cinematic quality and the true essence of Resident Evil. This is why it’s so puzzling why people rage so hard on the internet after the launch of the trailer. Sometimes I wonder if these people are even…true fans.

If you love Resident Evil, you should know and love all the things about it: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Look past the hot one-liner Leon (love you, though) and Jill-sandwich crap, you have the tension of resource management and iconic set pieces. It’s the unknown, and the very real possibility you may not escape alive.

I sincerely hope this internet trolls (I don’t even want to acknowledge them as fans anymore) do not ruin the potential Resident Evil has. Of course, like you, I know nothing more than this teaser; however, the sense of dread is spot-on, and the commentary from the Director actually gives me comfort that he understands Resident Evil and how to craft a movie inspired by it. Honestly, people who react like this are truly disturbing and troublesome. I wouldn’t be surprised of Cregger, the actors, and others are receiving scathing messages (heaven forbid, death threats, because you know that’s happened before), and it is never deserved. Let Cregger and the team cook. Give them a chance to prove themselves.

Here is the teaser trailer by itself, without commentary:

What do you think of the trailer? Does it bother you that Zach isn’t using original characters from the video games? Please share your thoughts with us on our Boss Rush Facebook Group or our Boss Rush Discord.

Boss Rush Podcast – A Podcast about Video Games

The Boss Rush Podcast – A Podcast about Video Games – is the flagship show of the Boss Rush Network and Boss Rush Media. Each week, hosts⁠ Corey Dirrig and LeRon Dawkins⁠ are joined by friends, fellow creators, indie developers, and industry veterans to discuss the latest in the world of video games, including news, rumors, new releases, and what they’ve been playing. They also answer listener questions, debate important industry topics and Boss Rush Banter discussion points, and feature a rotating weekly segment. New episodes post every Monday.

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Featured Image Source: IGN