Written by Alayna Arias and Gianna Lara, Staff Writers
The new movie Resident Evil hit theaters September 18th of 2026, functioning as a reboot of the previous live action film based on the game series and acts to serve as a new perspective on the franchise.
In a world where a mutant zombie virus is exposed to the inhabitants of Raccoon City, a courier ventures through the urban scape to deliver an anti-virus for scientists to create an antidote.
Resident Evil is an original series of videogames created by the Japanese company Capcom known for producing a number of successful game franchises. Known as Biohazard in Japan, Resident Evil was made available on Sony’s Playstation, and quickly gained popularity once hitting the American gaming market due to its immersive graphics and storytelling.
The main objectives of the first games are to search for clues that explain the causes of the T-virus outbreak, while simultaneously protecting your in-game self from aggressive zombies and other threats. The intricate and detailed storyline became a beloved aspect of the franchise uniting fans of all backgrounds.
Directed by Zach Cregger, the 2026 Resident Evil film starring Austin Abrams is a modern take on the first two games. It follows the story of an original character, Brian Hodukavich, who works as a medical courier. He is a relatable, but cowardly character who is tasked to deliver the anti-virus to Umbrella corp scientists. He ventures through Raccoon City grappling with many near death situations.
With the recent movie trend lacking the rush viewers once felt when watching movies, the Resident Evil movie seems likely to end that pandemic. The movie grossed approximately $108.3 million on the opening weekend worldwide making it a box office success. The financial success of the movie is meritable and it is shown through the new wave of fans it has attracted.
A few people are upset with the general storyline of the movie as it is not lore accurate to the games missing out on the opportunity to include iconic characters like Leon Kennedey, Jill Valentine, or Ada Wong. In an interview talking about this Cregger revealed that he didn’t want any characters from the game, “I’m not going to tell Leon’s story, because Leon’s story is told in the games.”
The people who liked the movie found it an interesting addition to the franchise. They acknowledge that it didn’t stay true to the storyline, but appreciate the easter eggs and references to the original games. This difference in opinion has sparked online debates where it brings up a major problem in fandoms nowadays. Newer fans or people who are wanting to get into the Resident Evil scene are often scared off because “og” fans are constantly criticizing mistakes or lore discrepancies.
Cregger’s version of Resident Evil is a great way to introduce people into the franchise or just an entertaining movie that you don’t need background context to. The mass majority of people who have seen it have loved it, with an average rating of 7.7/10 on IMDb and 96% on RottenTomatoes.
The latest adaptation of Resident Evil stays true to the horror of the game whilst bringing out some laughter in the theater. It is now the highest-rated film based on a video game and worth the watch. The reason why it has brought so much success is because it captures the essence of the video game without directly using the storyline from the games.