Zach Cregger Says He Was 'Not Prepared' for Resident Evil Fan Backlash
In an interview with BBC Newsbeat, Zach Cregger, the director behind horror films Weapons and Barbarian, addressed the criticism surrounding his adaptation of Resident Evil. The movie showcases Bryan, a courier portrayed by Austin Abrams, navigating Raccoon City amidst a viral outbreak. Cregger expressed that he was "not prepared" for the backlash, as he anticipated that viewers would enjoy a film that captured the essence of the games. The original Resident Evil, released by Capcom in 1996, has sold 213 million copies. Reviews have generally been favorable, with NME's Jordan Bassett rating it three stars and Doug Jamieson giving it four. Constantin Film holds the live-action rights but chose not to comment. Previous adaptations include six films directed by Paul WS Anderson.
Key facts
- Zach Cregger directed the new Resident Evil film and previously made Weapons and Barbarian
- The film follows Bryan, an original character played by Austin Abrams, a courier delivering a package to a hospital in Raccoon City during a viral outbreak
- Cregger told BBC Newsbeat he was "not prepared" for fan backlash and said "I think I was naive"
- The original Resident Evil game launched in 1996 on the Sony PlayStation, developed by Capcom, and the series has sold 213 million copies
- NME's Jordan Bassett gave the film three stars; Doug Jamieson of The Jam Report gave four stars; Looper's Alastair Ryder gave eight out of 10
- Live-action rights to Resident Evil are owned by German production company Constantin Film, which declined to comment
- Cregger said nobody from Capcom ever reached out to him, though BBC Newsbeat was told there was co-ordination between the developer and producers behind the scenes
- Previous adaptations include six films overseen by writer-director Paul WS Anderson from 2002 starring Milla Jovovich, a 2021 reboot and a 2022 Netflix series
Entities
Artists
- Zach Cregger
- Austin Abrams
- Jordan Bassett
- Doug Jamieson
- Alastair Ryder
- Paul WS Anderson
- Milla Jovovich
Institutions
- Capcom
- Sony PlayStation
- Constantin Film
- Netflix
- NME
- The Jam Report
- Looper
- BBC Newsbeat
Locations
- Raccoon City
- Japan
- Germany