Austin Abrams Confirmed to Star in Zach Cregger’s Upcoming Film “He’s My Guy”

In early 2025, news broke that Zach Cregger was working on a new reboot of the Resident Evil film series. The project is a collaboration between Constantin Film and PlayStation Productions.

Then, in March 2025, Sony Pictures won the rights to the Resident Evil franchise after a bidding war, and Columbia Pictures will distribute the upcoming movie.

The release date is set for September 18, 2026, with filming planned to take place in the Czech Republic, according to reports from June 2025.

Now, during an interview with Ringer Movies, it was confirmed that Austin Abrams will star in the new Resident Evil film. Cregger has expressed strong confidence in working with Abrams, describing him as “my guy … we have an amazing thing together.”

Fans may recognize Abrams from his role in Weapons, another film directed by Cregger that received critical praise, especially in the horror genre. Weapons has been called one of the best horror movies of the decade, which makes Abrams a fitting choice for this highly anticipated Resident Evil reboot.

While many expected Cregger to make a straightforward adaptation of the popular survival horror games, it appears his version will take a different path. In an interview with Inverse, Cregger shared some insights about his approach. He is a huge fan of the games and wants to respect their world, but his story will be original. He previously said, “Let me say this: this is not breaking the rules of the games. I am the biggest worshiper of the games, so I’m telling a story that is a love letter to the games and follows the rules of the games.”

Instead of focusing on well-known characters like Leon S. Kennedy or Jill Valentine, who are beloved by longtime fans, Cregger’s film will explore a new story set “outside of the characters of the games.” He explained, “I’m not going to tell Leon’s story, because Leon’s story is told in the games. [Fans] already have that.” This decision has some fans curious and even cautious, as many hope to see their favorite characters come to life on the big screen.

This idea of introducing new characters isn’t entirely new for the Resident Evil movies. The earlier films starring Milla Jovovich also followed a similar pattern by focusing on original characters not found in the games. Cregger seems to be following in that tradition, creating a fresh take while staying connected to the game universe.

For fans worried about this shift, Cregger has simple advice: “play the game.” He encourages viewers to enjoy the new film as its own story, while still appreciating the games that inspired it.

Some fans might feel conflicted about this direction. While creating new stories can attract people who haven’t played the games, longtime fans usually want to see faithful adaptations featuring the characters they love. It’s a tricky balance for any filmmaker working with popular game franchises.

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